My Favorite Films of 2022

2022 was a busy year at the movies for me. Between classes in my school’s theater, Master classes, advanced screenings, and volunteering with screenings for the Producers Guild of America (PGA), I went to the movies a record 55 times, seeing 51 movies. Granted, not all of these were new releases, but a lot of them were. As a result, my end-of-the-year list is a lot longer than usual. These are a ranking of the best movies that I saw this year, keeping in mind that there are a lot of movies I haven’t seen. The ones that didn’t make the list simply because I don’t like them, in order from worst to best of the worst, are Babylon, Lightyear, Don’t Worry Darling, Strange World, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Now, I should add that I recently saw Fire of Love in class, which was a documentary I thoroughly enjoyed and probably would have ranked somewhere in the middle. However, because I have so many movies this year and there weren’t any big releases that I wanted to see before publishing this, I decided to stick to movies I saw in the calendar year only to keep it at an even number.

25) Ticket to Paradise - The chemistry between George Clooney and Julia Roberts is what makes this film. Their banter makes this feel like a modern update on The Awful Truth. However, the film’s biggest flaw is that it’s too easy to agree with their mission in the beginning of the film to stop the wedding. When they inevitably change their minds, it feels like a mistake, just like how their daughter is clearly making a mistake despite the movie saying otherwise. It’s enjoyable, but didn’t leave behind the best taste.

24) Uncharted - I’m not familiar with the video game, so I’m not loyal to the franchise. However, from what I’ve heard, I can understand why some people don’t like this film. It wasn’t memorable, but it was a decent ride. I just wished it focused more on his brother, since that was the most interesting aspect of the film. I would be interested in a sequel just because of the tease at the end of the film.

23) Manifest West - I saw this at the Newport Beach Film Festival and it wasn’t entirely what I expected. It’s one of those films where a family goes off the grid in search of a better life, but it seems to make the argument that living in the wilderness is a horrible place to raise a child. It also has a mental illness subplot that I wasn’t expecting to play as large of a role as it did. I also didn’t find the ending very satisfying. Overall, it was a good effort for an independent film, but it could have been a lot stronger.

22) I Love My Dad - I got to see an advanced screening through my internship, which included a Q&A with the filmmakers, and I might not have seen this otherwise since this kind of movie isn’t usually to my taste. It definitely has a lot of cringe humor that can be hard to get through, but it’s well-structured and has a good performance from Patton Oswalt. I also loved how they portray online conversations visually, as its probably the most creative portrayal yet. I didn’t care for how they did the inevitable liar reveal scene, since it felt over-the-top and went too far. I’m just glad the filmmaker clarified that it did not goes as far as it does in the movie.

21) Patrick and the Whale - I saw this at the Newport Beach Film Festival and I found it to be a charming nature documentary. It features breathtaking underwater cinematography, including an awesome upside shot at the end. It was fascinating learning more about sperm whales and exploring the relationship that Patrick has with two whales, leading to a moving ending.

20) Gigi & Nate - I saw this at an advanced screening and I have no idea why it has such a low Rotten Tomatoes score of 16%. It isn’t great, but I thought it was a cute little film. The villain and main conflict were a little over-the-top, but also plausible and the cute monkey and the sweet narrative overrode that in the long run. I thought the performances were also very good.

19) Death on the Nile - I enjoyed Murder on the Orient Express and was looking forward to this sequel. I liked the deeper backstory they gave to Hercule Poirot and the stakes were greater in this one. However, the biggest issue, which was the same main issue with the last film, is that it doesn’t have a lot of rewatch value and is easy to forget about after watching. It also took a long time to get to the actual murder. Overall, I still think it’s a lot better than Glass Onion.

18) Jurassic World: Dominion - I know that this has been on a lot of worst-of-the-year lists, but I did not hate this movie the same way that a lot of people did. For me, it was a fun thrill ride, which was really all that I was looking for. Then again, I’ve never been the biggest Jurassic Park fan, having only been introduced to the franchise after undergrad, and I didn’t see the recent franchise until earlier last year. This is also the only film in the entire franchise that I’ve seen in theaters. It was also nice to see the original cast return. So it’s not my favorite of the year, but I had fun with it.

17) Everything, Everywhere All at Once - I saw this as part of a Chapman Master Class with Michelle Yeoh and overall, I enjoyed this film. I did think that the performances, especially that of Ke Huy Quan, whom I hope wins the Oscar, were great. There were some things about this film that I related to way too much as a creative. The way they verse-jump feels too much like how I jump from project to project sometimes. I appreciate how this movie tackles growing nihilism in modern society. Also, the Ratatouille raccoon was ridiculously hilarious. However, I did not love it as much as some people. For instance, I sometimes feel that movies that establish huge stakes, only for them to be more personal, are refreshing, but it also feels like a bit of a letdown. I also found some of the multiverse worldbuilding rules confusing.

16) The Batman - I am not the biggest fan of Batman, but this is by far the best live-action Batman movie I’ve ever seen (I think The Dark Knight is very overrated). I found it a compelling mystery and thought it was really enjoyable. This is basically a better version of Se7en. My only main issue is that the third act feels tacked on and it should have ended after they captured the Riddler. I understand why they did it thematically and I enjoyed Paul Dano’s performance when he wasn’t wearing the mask, but it felt like the conflict was resolved at that point. I’m interested to see what they do with the sequels, though I hope they don’t do another Joker story. In short, it’s really good, but the only Batman movie that I still own on DVD is The Lego Batman Movie. I also enjoyed being near some of the costumes and the car on exhibit while working at Warner Bros. this summer.

15) The Woman King - I saw this at a PGA screening, followed by a Q&A with Viola Davis, and was immediately struck by how different this seemed to be from what the trailers promised, as Nawi was the protagonist instead of Davis’ Nanisca. I also thought this was going to be about the forming of the warrior group, so I was kind of taken aback by how different this movie felt. However, I did really enjoy this film and appreciate that society has gotten to a point where movies like this can be made. I also liked how the connection between the two main characters was subtly explored and wasn’t stated point-blank until the end. In many ways, this feels like a historical version of Black Panther. My only main complaint is that it did feel too long.

14) Four Samosas - This is the first time that I get to include a film that was done by someone I know, as my classmate, Venk Potula, was the producer and lead actor for this film. I was fortunate enough to be working the right shift at the Newport Beach Film Festival so I can sit in on this film, and it deserved to win an Audience Award. It was funny and quirky in an indie way. It takes advantage of its low budget in a way that doesn’t feel too simple or downgraded. It does have some normal low-budget independent film flaws, but its charms override them. Overall, I recommend checking out this film.

13) Top Gun: Maverick - I was late to the party on this one since, despite the word of mouth, the trailer just didn’t interest me. I also watched the original over the summer and I have to assume that “Danger Zone” was the only reason it was a success because I did not see the appeal (I did appreciate that the song was in the sequel since it was the best part of the original). However, after starting out feeling very similar to the first one, which got me worried, this quickly proved itself to be much better as it has actual stakes and emotional moments. I did think it was going to end at one point before it continued, but unlike The Batman, I think it worked. I also appreciated the character of Maverick much better in this one as well and this film was much funnier. I also found that scene with Val Kilmer very emotional. The cinematography was great and I appreciate what the actors went through for this movie. It was also cool to see Jerry Bruckheimer after the screening I went to.

12) Thirteen Lives - As someone who got to see this in theaters, I can’t believe that this movie went straight to streaming as it made for a great cinematic experience. Despite knowing the outcome, this was still an intense thriller that included details that I knew nothing about. The fact that the boys all survived at all is incredible. I also appreciated that it doesn’t feel too much like a white savior film, showcasing the efforts of the Thai people as well, feeling like a group effort of people from different cultures coming together. It’s not quite as good as Apollo 13, but it is still a great thriller.

11) Decision to Leave - I saw this at a screening at school and has really stuck with me. I can see why this won Best Director at Cannes because the directing and editing were incredible, especially with their inventive scene transitions. It has a lot of great twists and turns, as well as an intriguing romance. It was interesting to hear that this film was basically inspired by a popular Korean song. I’ll admit, I thought it was going to end at one point, only for it to continue, but it ultimately justified continuing the story. However, I’m still not sure how I feel about the ending, acknowledging its symbolism and tragic irony, but not understanding the character’s motivation in making this decision.

10) Sidney - I got to see this at a free screening, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. I thought this was a very strong documentary about a Hollywood icon. I thought some of the camera movement in Poitier’s interview was sometimes odd, but when I heard it was footage done by MasterClass, it made more sense. I did think that some of the interview footage that they did film was oddly staged. Overall, though, I thought this was a very strong documentary film.

9) The Fabelmans - The PGA screening I attended of this film will always be memorable for me because it’s where I saw a Q&A with Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner. This is an intriguing look into Spielberg’s childhood that I appreciated even more after hearing him talk about what was based on truth, which was most of it. The acting was great, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the young actors do in the future. I didn’t think the screenplay was perfect, as it sometimes felt uneven. For instance, the sequence with Mitzi’s mother’s death seemed somewhat disconnected from the rest of the film. The film does contain one of the best meta jokes that I’ve heard in a long time (the one dealing with the bully), and the ending was hilarious, even more so knowing that it was verbatim what actually happened. As a director myself, there’s a lot I appreciate and relate to in this movie. It’s not as good as West Side Story, which is my favorite Spielberg film, but it has one of the best last shots in a film I’ve seen in a long time.

8) The Bad Guys - I saw this on a flight and greatly enjoyed this film. I wasn’t sure if I would like it despite the trailers looking intriguing, so I didn’t see it in theaters, but I almost wish I had. This movie was a lot of fun and it has some real-life parallels with its themes. The animation is also great and doesn’t just feel like a rip-off of the Spiderverse films. My only issue is that structurally, the midpoint feels more like the end of act two, resulting in what feels like a really long act three, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I’m now really curious about the graphic novel series that it’s based on. I really hope they make a sequel because I would go to see it in theaters.

7) Turning Red - I was lucky enough to see this movie at the El Capitan and really enjoyed it. I didn’t love everything in this film and definitely feel it’s probably more appropriate for older children. I did think that the mother could be a little over-the-top, especially in the inciting incident. However, I thought the animation style was clever and the third-act showdown was hilarious. I also thought that emotional confrontation about generational trauma was effective, if not as well done as in Encanto. Still, this should have definitely gotten the wide theatrical release instead of Lightyear.

6) Minions: The Rise of Gru - I love the first two Despicable Me movies and liked the third one enough. However, I thought the first Minions started out okay, but then jumped the shark for me with the “King Bob” subplot and I lost interest. But this sequel was a huge improvement over its predecessor, being dumb fun and more on par with the first two installments. It was some of the most fun I had in the theater this year, which is why it’s ranked so high.

5) Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - I loved the first Sonic, so I went to see this opening weekend, something I haven’t been able to do in quite awhile. While it’s not as emotional as the first one, I do think it’s funnier. Jim Carrey is hilarious and I thought the wedding sequence was hysterical. Tails is also adorable. I did almost feel that the super speed was inconsistent, though. Overall, it was a great time in the theater and I’m looking forward to the third one and hope that Jim Carrey changes his mind about retiring and returns.

4) Slumberland - I got to see this in theaters at an advanced screening, followed by a Q&A with the director, and thoroughly enjoyed it, finding it a cute, charming children’s story. While the rules of Slumberland don’t fully make sense, I love the sense of adventure and wonder that the film has. This is basically a kid-friendly version of Inception. I also don’t know how it has such a low Rotten Tomatoes score. What really makes this film work is the midpoint twist that makes the relationship between characters surprisingly emotional. I really hope they make a sequel, as the director hinted was a possibility, because I would love to see how they continue the story.

3) Living - I saw this at a PGA screening and was struck by how charming this movie was. I’m not familiar with the Japanese film, Ikiru, on which is based (though I think I saw a clip from it in a class), but I thoroughly enjoyed its film. It has a great 50s aesthetic, to the point where if it weren’t for Bill Nighy, I might have confused it for a film of the era. It’s a simple, charming film with a great moral, and despite its subject matter, it feels surprisingly uplifting. I am pleased that Bill Nighy has been receiving award nominations for his performance, which can be rather understated and isn’t flashy like a lot of his other roles. Overall, I highly recommend checking it out.

2) Weird: The Al Yankovic Story - By far my favorite film that I saw at the Newport Beach Film Festival (and was lucky to even get a seat at all), I wasn’t fully sure what to expect of this from everything I had heard. However, the film makes it very clear early on what type of film it is. A great parody of other musician biopics, it starts silly and just keeps going until it goes off the rails, but in a way that proves it was never on the rails to begin with. In many ways, this reminds me of the silliness of the Marx Brothers films, where the jokes overrun the story to the point where their third acts almost always feel ridiculous. I was already a Weird Al fan, but this made me a bigger fan. The numerous cameos were great, especially at the pool party, and I can’t believe this was shot in just over two weeks. This was also the first Daniel Radcliffe film I’ve actually seen. I wish I could own this on DVD.

1) Till - Normally for my top choice of the year, I sometimes go for the movie I liked the most, not necessarily the best film. This year, however, I decided to make my top choice the best film that I saw this year, especially since it is somehow not a frontrunner in the Oscars race. It’s not a movie I will see often, simply because it is so depressing, but this is incredibly made. This has some of the best direction I’ve seen in a long time and the script does the material justice. Danielle Deadwyler should win Best Actress because her performance was absolutely incredible. I wasn’t sure how they would make a feature film of this material, since I wasn’t familiar with all of the true story, but it absolutely blew me away. The fact that the Emmett Till Antilynching Act only passed last year makes this film all the more important. In the recent and overdue surge of films based on true stories by black directors, this is better than Best Picture nominees Selma and Judas and the Black Messiah in my opinion. Go and see this film, and if you’re an Academy member, please go nominate for Best Actress and Best Picture.