It’s been so long I’d forgotten my password.
So 68 trips to the cinema do I make this year to see movies, and many more films did I watch on TV and those streaming service thingies, along with very cheap DVDs that I found scouring charity shops. Movies new and old did I watch and an enjoyable time I had, and so dear reader I bring to you my top eleven favourite movies of the year.
By the way, none of them are Marvel, DC or Star Wars (well there wasn’t a Star Wars film anyway, but “fans” had enough of the TV shows to get their complaining buzz from).
Anyway, just to clarify this is a personal list of favourites, I’m not assessing quality here, because “best” and “worst” are inherently subjective anyway and I do believe that what a person actual likes and what a film means to them is far more interesting than a cold intellectual criteria to grade art. And don’t get me started on people obsessing about the box office as a sign of a film’s worth.
The Nine Worthy Mentions
Before I get to my eleven, here are the films I really enjoyed that fell just outside my main list. Honestly, I wish I had the time to talk about them in more detail.
However, I will say that looking at my choices for all twenty films, I never realised how many horror films that have made an impression on me this year.
The Top Eleven
11. Prey
Finally someone said “you know, wouldn’t it be interesting if we took a Predator and threw him into a time piece and setting that we’ve never seem them in before?”
Prey was a blessing. It took The Predator back to it’s basic roots, making it a spooky, terrifying threat again and returning it’s mystique. While at the same it made for an interesting clash against fellow hunters in the Comanche. Add to that an intriguing central character in Naru, who’s story arc fits in naturally with her battle with the predator and you have a thoughtful and creative rebirth for a franchise that really has so much potential.
10 Troll
Neither Hollywood or Japan gave us any Kaiju movies this year, so thank God for the Norwegians in giving us some rampaging monster fun.
The key to a great Kaiju movie is having the giant monster scenario fit in with the local country’s identity. Troll does this by not only having the giant wrecking Norway’s key cities and environment, but also drawing on Norway’s folk lore.
Troll had impressive battle scenes, full of spectacle and with a group of characters who’s fates were worth caring about, not to mention a creature that drew sympathy. A fun movie that Netflix could have made so much more of if it actually bothered to promote it’s original stuff.
9 Bodies, Bodies, Bodies
This was A to B to C storytelling that worked wonderfully well, in part to the strong performances across the board and the witty and compelling script. A, introduce all the characters and their conflicts as they prepare to spend a night together in a secluded location. B have them start a game that you know is going to end badly. C have it all go tits up and paranoia and suspicions leads everyone to turn on each other.
Just so much goddamn fun, especially with the sprinkling of satire and social commentary along all the murder, screaming and accusations. Also one of the best twists in movies all year.
8 Glass Onion
Benoit Blanc is officially an icon now as the second “Knives Out” delivers all the fun of the first with another suitably star heavy cast . Poking fun at the ultra rich once again, but with a more modern set of targets such as influencers, social media nobodies and billionaire tech tycoons, Glass Onion is such a delight in giving a kicking to truly annoying and despicable people.
Maybe it’s because I was lucky enough to catch this in an actual theatre in it’s limited one week release, but Glass Onion feels like a real movie, something that has to be said a lot of original streaming films just miss the mark on. Cracking mystery that despite been over the top at times manages to be convoluted but easy to follow and the twists pay off brilliantly.
7 Belle
There is just something beautiful and elegant about anime, with the traditional cartoon style lending itself to triggering a childlike sense of wonder. Belle was the most luscious looking movie I saw in 2022, with it’s breath taking visuals accompanied by a slew of toe tapping pop songs (do kids still toe tap? I dunno).
Stunning though it may be, Belle also has a compelling story with a recreation of the Beauty and the Beast but in a world of virtual social media that explores the ideas of identity and celebrity, as well as the clash between the real world and fantasy of the corporate online world.
An amazing film, that takes some very dark turns.
6 Barbarian
This film scared the shit out of me.
Barbarian starts with unbearable tension, as you know a threat is coming but you’re never sure where it’s coming from, or quite what sort of thriller you have actually sat down to watch. Even when you get an inkling of where things may be heading the film switches perspectives constantly, with a premise that goes more horrifying the deeper you’re taken into this horrible situation.
Like all great horror there is ample subtext to discover such as wokeness, toxicity, mistrust and urban decay. Maybe if you try real hard you can concentrate on all that instead of how fucking freaked out you are and how you’re never gonna airbnb again (I’d no idea what Airbnb was but I ain’t using it now that’s for damn sure).
5. Clerks III
Clerks III being essentially about the characters remaking the story of the original Clerks film into an actual film is something you’ll either find wonderfully meta or eye rollingly self indulgent, depending on your view of Kevin Smith.
Personally I was really touched on how personal a film this was for Smith, being inspired by his own brush with death when suffering a heart attack. It leads to a very dark and moving story of dealing with grief and responding to the realisation of one’s morality.
A messy film this may be, it makes my list because it was the only film in 2022 to make me cry buckets. Seriously, “you’re not supposed to be here today” has never been move heartbreaking.
4 Everything, Everywhere, All At Once
When I first saw the trailer to “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once,” in late 2021 it became one of my most anticipated movies of 2022. It did not disappointment me.
This film has to be seen to be appreciated as the wild and intoxicatingly movie that it is, taking the concept of the multiverse and stretching it in a mind blowing web of creativity, full of high octane action sequences and comedy. Everyone will take something different out of this film.
For me, I’ve never known a film that was so completely about life.
3 The Banshees of Inisherin
My biggest surprise of 2022 was walking out of the cinema after watching The Banshees of Inisherin thinking I’d seen one of the best films of the year.
It’s a simple enough story. One man in a tiny village wants to know why his best friend doesn’t like him any more. From this small premise the story escalates into a shocking feud, that while darkly comical is also violently disturbing.
An exploration of pride, obsession and the absurdity of human existence, this is one film that should stay with any viewer for a very long time.
2, The Menu
When it comes to satirising or taking the piss out of the wealthy and pretentiously intellectual, no film can really go wrong with me. On this level The Menu satisfied me like a good old fashion plate of English fish and chips, delivering a right good kicking to the elitism that is exclusive gourmet dining.
The build in this film is terrific, with a bunch of wealthy diners taken to an exclusive dinner served by an eccentric celebrity chef on his remote island. As the courses are served, the actions of Chef Slowik start as bizarre and get more disturbing and dangerous as the night progresses.
Ralph Fiennes is chillingly brilliant in The Menu and Anna Taylor Joy is a as mesmerising to watch as always. An absolutely wild ride of a movie.
1, Top Gun: Maverick
Admit it, who like me rolled their eyes like me when it was confirmed Hollywood was mining it’s past with a sequel to yet another movie from he 80s?
Admit it, who else like me rolled their eyes when they heard Goose’s son would be a character in the film, at odds with Tom Cruise and especially when you saw that Miles Teller’s mustache?
And admit it, who else had goosebumps on goosebumps when they were sat in the theatre and the film started and we heard that familiar Top Gun music?
Top Gun: Maverick was the one movie that typified everything that is great about going to the cinema. It was the one film I was buzzed about going to see this year, checking my rotas and work and comparing it to the film times and working out how I could see it with the biggest screen possible. It was a true event movie and brought back the excitement of going to the cinema.
The film itself lived up to the hyped I’d built up in my mind. Absolutely breathtaking stunts and flying scenes, a story and mission that is truly gripping and had me tied up in a ball in my seat as I was willing every fired missile to reach it’s target and my heart racing as those pesky “hostiles” closed in on our pilots.
It’s an amazing film, hitting all the right spots both excitement wise with the action and emotionally, especially with the poignant cameo from a frail looking Val Kilmer. And let’s face it, in Tom Cruise we have one of the last true movie stars, a man who seems intent to put everything on the line just to entertain us.
Right now, I hope the likes of James Gunn, Kathleen Kennedy and Kevin Feige are making Top Gun Maverick required viewing for their teams on how they can work some magic back into their franchises.
Anyway, see you at the movies…..maybe.
Dazza
Late Addition After Credits
Oh Bugger, I forgot one. But I don’t want to redo my list, so I’ll just say I loved the following movie and it was maybe my favourite comedy of the year. It’s just weird it ended up on the Roku Channel.
Anyway….
A wild, hilarious spoof on biopics.
That’s it, you can leave now.
