After a less than stellar year in 2021 due to Covid restraints, movies rebounded to have a great year in 2022. This year I had a much harder time cutting my favorite films list down to 10. I finally made it back to theatre for the first time since 2020 to see Avatar in 3D at our newly opened Alamo Drafthouse in St. Louis. It felt great to be back in a theatre and I see why Alamo Drafthouse theatres are so highly recommended. It is a fantastic theatre that I will be going to whenever possible.

And now, for my favorite films of 2022:

A few honorable mentions that were close to making my list are After Yang, The Woman King, The Sea Beast, Decision to Leave, and Nope. All of these would have made my top 10 last year but it was such a strong year that they just missed making my list this year.

10) Tár (available on VOD): Just a masterful performance by Cate Blanchett. The movie throws you headfirst in to the world on conducting and musical performance and shows how obsession for greatness can take over you.

9) Turning Red (streaming on Disney+): The movie I watched the most this year. I never got sick of watching it and the music from 4*Town written by Finneas was brilliant and stuck in head all year. Pixar did such a wonderful job showing school friendship, the difficulties of being a kid, and growing up.

8) Top Gun: Maverick (streaming on Paramont+): I had such low expectations for this movie. I was shocked by how much I loved it. It’s pacing and action propelled me through a ride of a movie that I didn’t want to end. I still go back and watch some of the action scenes and I’m blown away by how they are shot and put you right in the middle of the action.

7) Athena (streaming on Netflix): This captivated me from the long opening shot and never let me go. It has some of the best performances I saw all year. I hope more people give it a shot.

6) The Banshees of Inisherin (streaming on HBO Max): Just a lovely story about two people, their friendship, and how growing apart can affect them and the people around them. Lovely performances by the entire cast and such a well written script.

5) The Menu (streaming on HBO Max): This was such a fun watch. I loved where this film went and how it kept me guessing and surprised about what would come next. Ralph Fiennes delivers a controlled Voldemort performance.

4) Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (streaming on Netflix): I love the way the director, Rian Johnson, writes and directs his films. He is one of my favorite directors/writers and Glass Onion feels like him having so much fun. I was skeptical of the new cast, but they all were fantastic, with Janelle Monáe being the standout. I love the twist that happens halfway through and where it goes from there. Also, I need a Benoit Blanc voice on Google Maps.

3) RRR (streaming on Netflix): When I heard about this film, I didn’t know what to expect but it blew me away. Such amazing performances by the two stars, N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, which you start loving by their incredible stunts and action and end up loving through their portrayal of friendship. RRR has some of the most memorable scenes this year that will stick with me forever.

2) Prey (streaming on Hulu): I’ve never been a fan of Predator movies. This movie changed all that. It is a perfectly paced, perfect length film with incredible tension and action. I love how grounded this film made the predator by setting it back in time. It’s a shame this movie didn’t get a theatrical release because it would have been a blast to watch in a crowded theatre. I can’t wait to see what the director, Dan Trachtenberg, does next.

1) Everything Everywhere All at Once (streaming on Showtime+): This movie made me laugh, cry, sit on the edge of my seat, and gasp out loud. It was so much fun and pulled at my heartstrings. Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan give deep, incredible performances. I loved every minute of it and think it is a masterpiece in genre filmmaking.

If your interested in following my reviews throughout the year, you can following me on Letterboxd at https://boxd.it/ot3.

Thanks for reading!