Best films of 2022
The films I gravitate to the most usually resonate with me in a personal way. Even when I don’t relate to the stories and characters, there is a universal human empathy that makes a film stand out. Your life story doesn’t have to intersect with those on screen. Some of my favorite films are about people and worlds that I have no possible way of truly understanding. The reason I love these films is that they tap into shared human truths that most of us can get. Fernando Meirelles’s film City of God for example is about the harsh lives of those living in the favelas of Rio De Janeiro. I have no experience with that reality, but it has been one of my favorite films since I saw it in high school. It gave me the chance to stand back from myself and observe the world from the perspectives of these people.
It took a while to narrow down my favorites of 2022. This was a particularly eclectic year. After the compromised landscape of 2021 and 2020, it was refreshing to dive into incredible stories that felt like distinct visions rather than assembly-line Blockbuster fodder. How often do we get such a wildly entertaining surrealistic gem like Everything Everywhere all at Once? Or a smash hit Blockbuster not put out by Disney like Top Gun: Maverick? These two films are completely different in pretty much every way. What they share is a devout following of film lovers across the spectrum. They show that audiences will adore many kinds of stories if they are well told and not pandering.
Neither of those films are on my best of 2022 list, but they are important indicators of where the industry could go next. They give me a dose of optimism about the kinds of films we may see moving forward. I admit, my 2022 list is not the most fun and crowd-pleasing. The films I love the most are often character-driven and personal visions. They are influenced by other work as everyone is, but the final product on screen is unlike anything else this year. I love a great spectacle-driven epic, but it really must have something special to become a favorite. I wish this list had more comedies. We so rarely get genuinely hilarious films these days. Beavis and Butthead do the Universe was easily the most I laughed this year. It also didn’t make the list, but I wanted to give it an honorable mention. Without further ado, here are the best films of 2022.
1. The Banshees of Inisherin
This was everything I was hoping for and more. Martin McDonagh has a remarkable ability to infuse his stories with layers of emotion and incredibly dark comedy. Banshees certainly has moments of absurdity, such as what Brendan Gleeson’s character Colm does to himself whenever Colin Farrell’s character Pádraic bothers him. There is a macabre sadness in the film that hangs over every frame. It is at heart a somber breakup story. Gleeson and Farrell are brilliant in the film. Farrell in particular conveys unbearable amounts of sadness and confusion.
You really get the sense that these two people used to be close friends. It’s not like there are many options for friendship on the island they live on. Even though Colm is clearly in the wrong for wanting to end the friendship, you can understand why he feels stuck in his life. He needs to feel like he has created something that will outlive him. He has spent countless days wasting the hours doing nothing important. That’s how he sees it at least. His reasons are selfish, but they are from the heart. The film manages to be simultaneously heartbreaking and hilarious in a way that only McDonagh can achieve.
2. Aftersun
This film has been lingering in my mind ever since I saw it. I have seen plenty of debut films from countless directors over the years. It is rare to see a directorial debut with such a powerful and confident vision. A filmmaker’s first film tends to stumble out the gate but rises above the obvious flaws thanks to interesting ideas. Charlotte Wells already has the standout voice of someone who has been making great films for decades. Aftersun has an organic approach to narrative that doesn’t talk down to the audience. It presents layers of details and emotions without pushing you toward them.
There are multiple subtle moments of character development I didn’t notice until thinking about them later. Paul Mescal’s character, Calum, wears a cast on his arm for part of the film. He is vague about what injury led to wearing this cast. Another film would have given him a heartfelt monologue about what happened to him. There is nothing wrong with that approach, but Aftersun doesn’t take that route. There are enough hints dropped throughout the film that reveal Calum’s anguish beneath the surface. These can be anything, from the way he speaks to his daughter Sophie (Frankie Corio) in specific small moments, to a distant look in his eyes when he isn’t saying anything. I wouldn’t usually edit a best of the year list months after it’s been posted, but I’ll make an exception here.
3. Speak No Evil
Few films made me feel as uneasy as Speak No Evil did. There are plenty of films that aim to be tense. Often the suspense is surface level and designed to ease you into the drama. Here, the fear takes up permanent residence in your brain. It makes you analyze every detail of what is going on, trying to figure out the nefarious intentions. How twisted is this couple that our main characters Bjørn and Louise are staying with? They seemed like such friendly people when they met on vacation in Italy.
Part of what makes this film so unnerving is how human the monsters are for most of the runtime. There are hints that they may be hiding horrors, but much of the uncertainties Bjørn and Louise encounter could be chalked up to miscommunication and cultural differences. We all want to be polite and accommodating when we stay with new people. Most people don’t go out of their way to cause a fuss. The question is, how far can you be pushed and tested before you realize that all is not well?
4. Blonde
Easily the most divisive film of the year. I was expecting Andrew Dominik to create an unconventional narrative of Marilyn Monroe. He did the same thing with his brilliant Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. He took an American legend and vivisected the myths and romanticism. Jesse James died young, and his image has been immortalized in American lore, much like Monroe. Unlike Marilyn, James is not seen as a tragic figure in the same way. Many people talk about Marilyn Monroe like she is their daughter. They feel protective of her memory, even though it’s the idea of her rather than her actual history that people are attached to.
I understand why Blonde received so much criticism when it came out. It is a deeply uncompromising and uncomfortable film. Its depiction of Monroe does not always stick to the facts. Critics and audiences felt it was too unfaithful to what actually happened in her life. To me, that is the point of the film. It is a gothic horror about trauma where Marilyn is a personification of fame. Ana De Armas gives an extraordinary performance. Easily one of the best of the year. The music by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis creates an otherworldly sorrow to the story that elevates it. I understand why this film was so controversial, but to me, it shows that Andrew Dominick is one of the best filmmakers working today.
5. After Yang
It’s rare to get a Sci-fi film today that doesn’t rely on spectacle and action. It’s difficult to tackle a genre that is often dependent on futuristic visuals. Kogonada’s previous film Columbus was a low-key gem with wonderful characters and architecture. He has a real eye for showcasing distinct designs mixed with human drama. After Yang takes this and applies it to a beautiful story of a family coming together after their android Yang shuts down. This shared experience brings them closer together and helps them realize the importance of connection.
After Yang is the kind of film with a delayed impact. I loved it when I first saw it, but I didn’t realize how much it would linger in my mind. Every detail of the film is lovingly assembled. From the great performances by everyone involved to the philosophical approach the film takes to the genre. Once again, Colin Farrell is exceptional in the film, as is Jodie Turner-Smith. This has been a ridiculously fantastic year for Farrell. What with After Yang, his transformative performance as Penguin in The Batman, and his career-best showstopper Banshees of Inisherin. After Yang is an incredible example of how to take a genre you thought you knew and create a unique and lush story that makes you ponder existence.
6. Nitram
Slow burn dread seems to be a running theme in my favorite films of 2022. Nitram is exactly the kind of film I love. One that digs under the skin of broken people and slowly reveals their insecurities and flaws. Some have argued that the film is exploitative and morally wrong. To be honest, I get where that perspective is coming from. Showing the build-up to an infamous mass shooting is bound to make people uneasy. Especially when the film portrays the turbulent fictionalized life of the shooter. There is an expectation that a film like that will try to rationalize what happened.
Nitram never tries to explain why someone would commit such an atrocity. Numerous theories try to piece together why a person would resort to mass murder. They may come from a broken home, perhaps they were abused, etc. These could certainly be factors that apply to some people. Nitram is a very different story. We never really understand why this man did what he did. He did not come from a fractured home life, and he was not mistreated. What we get in this film is a disturbing escalation of factors leading to the inevitable. By the end, we have gained very little comprehension of what makes a monster. Perhaps that is for the best.
7. Mad God
Phil Tippett has created a magnificent and harrowing universe with Mad God. Is a film unlike anything else this year. I couldn’t really review it as a traditional narrative. The actual story itself is not the most interesting part of the film. What makes Mad God such a spectacular film is how it throws you into a pit of madness and destruction. This is a world where everything is twisted and horrific. When I first watched the film, it took me a while to absorb the full extent of what I had just witnessed. There is a strange beauty to all the savagery and cruelty. Tippett’s stop-motion creations are monstrous, yet they all feel like real living beings.
What you get out of the film will depend on how much story you prefer a film to have. Mad God is more about bearing witness to insanity and never-ending annihilation rather than a traditional arc. There are multiple characters interspersed throughout, but we never really see who they are. They are there to oversee this world’s cycle of barbarism. I know that all sounds incredibly vague. It’s hard not to sound cryptic when describing this film. The best way you can experience Mad God is to sit back and soak in every detail. Don’t overanalyze the plot specifics during the viewing. It is a truly demented and magnificent rollercoaster.
8. To Leslie
What else can be said about this film that I haven’t already detailed? There are emotional moments in To Leslie that have stuck with me ever since I saw it. Andrea Riseborough’s performance is my favorite of the year. There may be more grandiose displays of acting in other films, but her raw vulnerability resonated with me the most. Playing an alcoholic is an arduous task. You have to be convincingly out of control yet not over the top. Leslie is not a bad person; she has been shattered by her past and is unable to steer back on course.
She makes poor decisions that stem from unimaginable levels of pain. No matter how much she spirals, you always root for her to get back on her feet. That’s where Marc Maron comes in as Sweeney, a proprietor of a motel where Leslie ends up working. Their dynamic makes a fantastic film even better. As their relationship blooms, you start to see Leslie coming to terms with her struggles. The film can be grueling, but it is not a punishing display of misery. It is a deeply human story of hardship and rebirth. One that more people should see.
9. Flux Gourmet
I hope this doesn’t come across as hyperbolic, but I truly believe that Flux Gourmet is the greatest culinary music film of 2022. I cannot fathom how Peter Strickland came up with this idea. Nothing about it sounds like it would work on paper. It sounds ridiculously pretentious and bizarre for the sake of it. The film easily could have gone in that direction. Instead, it somehow manages to balance sincerity and absurdity with grace. I can imagine a version of this film that goes in a goofy comedy direction. I am glad it did not resort to that. I think that would have been cheap and too easy.
Look at a film like Christopher Guest’s Waiting for Guffman. It pokes fun at the characters sure, but there is a genuine love for them too. That is the trick to making a satire of the art world. You have to stand back from your preconceived notions of these people as caricatures and see them for who they are. They are not cartoon figures making goofy faces for our amusement. A collective of performance artists who make music with electronics and cooking is not the kind of art I would be interested in seeing. By the end of the film though I was happy to have been immersed in their strange world. However, I would not recommend recreating their work in real life. You’ll just make a mess and frighten your neighbors.
10. The Whale
This one crept up on me. I really enjoyed the film when I saw it recently, but I wasn’t expecting the film’s power to grow as it incubated in my head. After watching it, I found the imagery started to grow in potency. The amount of astronomical sorrow in The Whale could have been gratuitous. There is a searing energy to the film that is unforgettable. I could write an entire essay about how spectacular Brendan Fraser is here. There is pathos and beauty in his performance that showcases the very best of what acting can be. There is a sense of magic to a performance like his. You are mesmerized by how he can morph into this character Charlie.
I initially said the film felt too stagey at times. There is still a hint of that critique when I think about how the scenes link together. Now that I have had some time to process the film, I appreciate how intimate it feels. Charlie’s apartment is another character who is always present. After the film ends, you can still picture how it looks. The books on the shelves, the couch, the bedroom, etc. They become a part of who Charlie is. You gain some degree of understanding of his suffering through his surroundings and his interactions with other people. He is going through hell, but he still tries as hard as he can to be a good person and think the best of others. Even when they are cruel to him.
