My Favorite Movies I Saw in 2022

I haven't written a blog post on movies in probably a decade-ish, but since 2020 I've actively taken it upon myself (lol) to watch more films. The site Letterboxd has been an incredible help with that! I am by no means a huge film buff or cinephile - I like movies way more than TV series (the messy but also gay recent season of "Emily in Paris" aside) so I tend to watch them more than anything else. With all that being said, I watched 40+ films this year, which also proves I don't have much of a personal life. In no particular order, here are my favorites. And to get this out of the way, the worst films I watched were "Disenchanted" (disappointingly) and "The Poughkeepsie Tapes."

NOTE: I still haven't watched a lot of films I've wanted to, like "Babylon," but I doubt I'll be able to get to them before the year ends. Womp womp. 

NOTE NOTE: I am sure better lists exist!

NOTE NOTE NOTE: Not all of these films came out in 2022; this is simply a compilation of films I saw and enjoyed. 

"Everything Everywhere All At Once" 

I know this is going to top a lot of lists out there, but it honestly deserves it. Seeing this in the theaters was one of the most memorable experiences of the year for me! And wow, what a cast. Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis deserve awards for their roles in this film. 

"Bros""Bros" was such a fun romcom, and honestly much more inclusive than I expected it to be. I wouldn't consider it a landmark achievement in film, but I love Nora Ephron and this was most definitely a homage to her work. Billy Eisner kind of left a bad taste in my mouth with his reaction re:Box Office, but I believe I was not alone in that. 

"Somewhere in Time"

Okay so this absolutely did not get released in 2022, but IDC. This was such a wonderful film that I didn't expect to be that great. I am a sucker for time travel-related things, and the chemistry between Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour is immaculate, palpable even. I see why this film has amassed a cult following in the past 40ish years! P.S. the score by John Barry is gorgeous and haunting. 

"The Painted Veil" This film was released in 2006, but I have the feeling a lot of people aren't aware it even exists. Which is fine, but Edward Norton and Naomi Watts are fantastic actors, and this movie's score is just as beautiful as "Somewhere In Time." It's a period piece based on a book by W. Somerset Maugham about a doctor who goes to Asia to help with a typhoid pandemic. It ventures into colonialist themes a bit, but all things considered, I think the creators of the film handled it well. 

"After Yang"

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Okay back to things that came out in 2022! I watched "After Yang" on a plane back from a trip, and boy am I glad I did. It's a quiet film, but especially in our post-ChatBot world, a film about AI/robots feels especially relevant. Plus, its depiction of family life is really beautiful. Also kudos to Colin Farrel for choosing some great roles recently. I had no idea he was that good of an actor (well, I guess I did, I loved "In Bruges.") 

"Lost Ollie" Want to see some family-oriented entertainment that is somehow more depressing than "The Brave Little Toaster?" I HAVE THE FILM FOR YOU. Seriously though, this is a  beautiful limited series. And they did a wonderful job of making the toys (all abandoned and supposedly searching for the toy Ollie's little boy) seem so lifelike. It's very poignant and altogether a heartwrenching look at grief in multiple forms. 

"Stutz" I didn't think Jonah Hill would be responsible for my favorite documentary of the year, but he did. Although I don't think this film can fully replace therapy - would be foolish of me to suggest that - I think it's a must-watch for anyone who struggles with mental health. 

"Good Luck to You, Leo Grande"

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This film was really different from what I usually watch, but I am such a fan of Emma Thompson as an actor I would watch her read Nextdoor posts. It's a sex-positive comedy which is kind of refreshing, and Daryl McCormack also deserves a nod for his excellent portrayal in it. I also found it was a pretty creative film to be done during the height of the pandemic, as most of the scenes revolve around only 2 - 3 characters. Filmmakers had to do some thinking to make things work during that time! 

"Top Gun Maverick" Finally, because I'm a basic bitch, I need to give the long-awaited "Top Gun" sequel a shoutout. But it was honestly so much fun to see in a theater, and Tom Cruise and the rest of the cast gave us exactly what we wanted in this movie. 

Happy 2023 to all! Glad this year is over; it was a doozy.