Top 10 Movies of 2022

Good Night Sweet Prince

5 min readJan 2, 2023

The year cinema died is also the year I went to the movies the most. Thanks to my Alamo Drafthouse membership, I made it out to the movies 3–4 times a month.

But it was lonely out there.

The theatrical release window that was destroyed during Covid trained viewers to wait to watch at home. Pair that with cheap and excellent home theater tech, and movies are struggling.

Thankfully Tom Cruise made us all feel alive in the summer and Avatar: The Way of Water will bring it home for the end of the year.

It’s not all doom and gloom because there were some great films this year.

Onto the list.

Honorable Mentions: Three Thousand Years of Longing, RRR, Top Gun: Maverick, Cha Cha Real Smooth, Glass Onion

10 — Crimes of the Future

A dark otherworldly body-horror nightmare that tells a fascinating story about art and evolution. Crimes of the Future is unlike anything I’ve seen and builds out a rich world that I would never want to inhabit. It’s layered and while serious in tone, has a sense of humor.

9 — Bros

Bros is the best rom-com in years. In a landscape of cheap Netflix derivatives it’s great to see a throwback to the Nora Ephron rom-com era. Billy Eichner is incredibly sincere and plays against his intense and often annoying Billy on the Street persona. Bros is sweet and incredibly funny.

8 — Everything Everywhere All at Once

The strangest and most original movie of the year is such a fun watch. Everything Everywhere is a celebration of Michelle Yeoh’s diverse career of action and drama while adding comedy to her resume. It throws the wildest ideas at you daring you to flinch, while putting slapstick goofiness front and center.

7 — X

X is a nostalgic 80's slasher perfected. It’s sleazy as hell and does its best to make you uncomfortable. Mia Goth emerges as an incredible scream queen. Director Ti West and Mia Goth were able to film the prequel, Pearl at the same time, which makes an excellent double feature.

6 — Empire of Light

A vibey exploration of a memory of love and depression. It takes place in a cinema on the coast of England in the 80's and delivers a nostalgia for a movie experience that is all but gone. Empire of Light is elegant with top creators building a world you can’t help but want to inhabit. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross deliver one of the best scores of the year.

5 — The Banshees of Inisherin

A tale of an island struck by depression is also a funny character drama. The Banshees contrasts art and niceness in hilarious and heartbreaking ways. The incredible performances are set against the backdrop of stunning Irish fields and cliffs.

4 — Barbarian

Pure cinematic horror full of masterful rising tension, insane tonal shifts, and terrifying payoffs. This film caught me by absolute surprise and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s legit scary and is one of the best experiences I’ve had in a cinema ever. Barbarian had our entire theater in the palm of its hand.

3 — The Batman

The caped crusader gets a true Year One take with a gritty realism and full of style. It’s a Batman who isn’t jumping off of buildings for fun or style, but rather as a necessity of his torturous mission. The Batman includes excellent world building by making Gotham one of its central characters. The craft is incredibly artistic with an excellent cast, score, and production design. My favorite take on the caped crusader.

2 — Tár

An exploration of art, sound, human flaws, and their consequences. Tár cements Cate Blanchett as the best actor of her generation. The camera follows her as the controlled world she built spirals out of control. You feel at home in the hands of a visionary despite Todd Field doing everything he can to disorient.

1 — Nope

The movie I couldn’t get out of my head is also the year’s most thrilling. It’s a layered and opaque examination of the high cost of man’s quest to capture spectacle. The buildup pays off in a stunning third act that is visually arresting and action-packed. The cast is having a blast with the wild scenarios it puts them in. Nope has an excellent score, cinematography, and vibe. Jordan Peele’s best.

Bonus: Top 10 Kids Movies of 2022

It was a great year for animation and kids movies.

10 — My Father’s Dragon
9 — Sonic 2
8 — Strange World
7 — Lightyear
6 — The Bad Guys
5 — Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers
4 — Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
3 — Turning Red
2 — Pinocchio
1 — Belle

For more movie reviews, check out my Letterboxd page to see what I am watching now.

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Thanks for reading :)