Top 10 Movies of 2022
Top 10 Movies of 2022
ETCinema Reviews
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It’s been a while.
While I haven’t been posting my reviews online, I have been no less of a film lover over the last year or so. I’ve still not been able to resist the urges to log and review my viewings on Letterboxd and many of the overviews in this list will be taken directly from my profile on there.
As I’m relaunching ETCinema, I felt it necessary to share my Top 10 of last year so you can see what I’ve been up to. I’ve taken my time with the list and it’s changed dozens of times as I’ve tried to watch every good movie out there. Ultimately though, I wasn’t able to see everything (sorry Top Gun) so let me know what I missed out on. Some films narrowly missed the Top 10, while others have stayed in their position for months.
Without further ado let’s start the list in reverse order from 10-1. These are all my opinions, so let me know your Top 10 below!
10) The Northman
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| Aidan Monaghan © |
9) Elvis
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(From my October 2022 Letterboxd review)
Luhrmann is one of the true living auteurs. They simply do not make movies like this very often.
Frenetic, energetic, utterly entertaining filmmaking.
The director was a perfect match for the bombastic and eyebrow-raising King of Rock and Roll.
At the heart of the feature is the central performance of Butler; who has to be in consideration this academy awards season. His embodiment of Elvis’ unbridled passion and tragedy are so believable.
Not everything in Elvis works, but the film is so utterly enjoyable and watchable that it doesn’t seem to matter. It’s one of Baz’s strongest outings. The music is as much a character as the man behind the camera. It’s a biopic in no traditional sense. A creative outpouring from both sides of the lens.
8/10
8) Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio
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The world of animation didn’t realise just how much it had been missing out on Del Toro. He is a natural match for the medium. His Pinocchio is easily the best adaptation of the tale ever put to the screen. Putting this year’s live-action remake to absolute shame.
It’s a beautifully animated film with wonderfully crafted visuals. The story is filled with dark and mature themes; reanalysing the famous story through the lens of WW2 fascist Italy. The re-contextualisation only elevates the messages of the original fable; the importance of honesty, innocence and family.
Perhaps GDT’s Pinocchio didn’t need to be a musical. Many of its songs feel unnecessary and do little to move the scenes along; often feeling rushed or underwritten. This is mainly due to the fact that the Disney cartoon has such iconic songs that have been associated with the story-beats and engrained in the public consciousness for over 70 years. Only one in particular ; Ciao Papa, feels memorable.
That is perhaps the only complaint in what is a delightful and creative piece of film. A stacked voice cast full of absolute talent. David Bradley is a terrific, empathic Geppetto. Christoph Waltz and Ron Perlman are among the iconic vocals; both perfectly cast as dastardly villains.
Del Toro’s Pinocchio feels like it has made the messages of the original story even more understandable through a historic lens; showing younger viewers how important it is to love; to live and to be accepting in a modern world that is becoming evermore polarised.
8/10
7) Avatar: The Way of Water
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6) All Quiet On The Western Front
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If you’ve seen one War film you’ve seen them all, but you might not have seen one quite so unrelentingly bleak, and unflinchingly dark. This has been called the ultimate anti-war film, and it’s easy to see why. A sleek and bleak modern adaptation of a classic story (which previously won best picture in 1930); this film is brutally realistic and feels no need to glorify or Hollywood-ise the narrative.
The cinematography is the best 2022 has to offer; and it should clinch the Oscar with ease. The shot composition is some of the best I’ve seen in a long time (every image perfectly crafted like a piece of wartime art). There’s an intentional juxtaposition and irony between the beautifully crafted visuals and the horrific subject matter. The beauty of Europe torn apart by needless bloodshed.
It’s not so much the uniqueness of the story on show, but the uniqueness of the way it’s presented that makes All Quiet quite so significant. It’s worthy of its place on the frontline at this years awards season.
8/10
5) Nope
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One of the most discussion-worthy films of the last few years. Nope lingers with you, even if you’re initially uncertain about it’s overall effectiveness. The more you think , the more you realise just how good it is at what it set out to be. It causes reflection, and introspection , while also being completely disturbing at times.
The biggest achievement under its belt is that for the first time since Signs; Aliens are scary again.
Peele weaves a deeply symbolic and interesting piece of art into what is ,at surface level, still a completely entertaining sci-fi horror.
Some real stand out visuals and moments of intense horror that will stick with you for many years, as well as a story that once you have the full picture of ; becomes all the more impressive .
8/10
4) Boiling Point
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If you’ve ever worked in hospitality, this film will be unbearably true to life. The stress, the adrenaline, the rude customers, the argumentative co-workers and frustrating newcomers.
This film is as much a piece of impressive theatre as it is a mind-boggling and complex production. The sheer discipline that must have gone into it is impossible. Dozens of actors, all in one take for 90 minutes. The commitment and effort is Herculean.
Stephen Graham has a lot of impressive performances under his belt but this may just be my favourite. Utterly compelling.
The reason Boiling Point is so effective is that it could’ve easily been a linear film focused on Graham’s chef. Instead, it aims to (in different levels of effectiveness) convey and realise every single character in the restaurant. Some plots are weighed better than others and some are purposefully left unresolved.
Slice of life, and so true to life it is. If you’ve worked in a kitchen or bar or restaurant you may need a strong cuppa afterwards.
One of the most original and entertaining pieces of the year. An impressive performance.
9/10
3) Everything Everywhere All At Once
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Unlike any other film you have seen in recent memory.
Bizarre, ridiculous, confusing, yet completely and utterly profound. A living oxymoron on the screen; meaningful meaninglessness.
Everything Everywhere is the most unique and creative movie I have seen in a long time. It’s often so weird you wonder how it could work, yet when the third act hits and the filmmaking shines; you realise it’s a profound and moving exploration of the meaning of life itself.
The post-millennial Hamlet; exploring the “to be or not to be” of the modern world; a world where we are aware of our own tiny meaninglessness thanks to scientific discoveries. A world of nihilistic internet-age humour. What is the point of us? Are we one of billions of possibilities? If so why does it matter? That’s the question on show.
Everything Everywhere will not be everyone’s cup of tea. Some won’t care for its bizarre comedic elements, some will find it just too much to grasp. But under all that craziness is a very deep and very clever thesis about love and life.
Bonus points for a stellar central cast; Ke Huy Quan is so endearing that his naive optimistic smile can almost bring me to tears. This film has awards buzz for all the right reasons.
Even if you don’t love it you have to see it. It’s everything and nothing you’ve always needed.
9/10
2) The Banshees of Inisherin
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One of the top films of 2022 is one of the least grand, most character-driven.
Perhaps Martin McDonagh’s most personal, intimate writing. As always the screenplay is a unique mix of hilarious wit and dark pessimism. The characters are all superbly written, and even more impressively performed by Farrell, Gleeson and Condon. Barry Keoghan gives one of the standout supporting performances of the year as village eejit Dominic; a realistic, and rounded portrayal of an outcast, troubled boy.
The isolationism of the island setting is perfectly captured, but juxtaposed with some of the year’s most gorgeous cinematography. Every shot feels perfectly constructed from its colour palette to its costuming.
McDonagh’s history as a theatre-maker shines through in what is a very simple and insular story, made cinematic by its scenery and production values. Banshees of Inisherin combines side-splitting wit with grim nihilism in a way which only this director can.
9/10
1) The Batman
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