After yesterday’s list where I went through my least favourite films of the past year, it is only fair that I now give the best films the spotlight. I found this list much harder to pick than the worst films list, mostly because I saw a lot of films, I really enjoyed this year. And if I am being totally honest if you were to ask me on any other given day this list would likely be different. Again, I should reiterate that this list is based on my favourite rather than the technically best films, just to save any possible confusion. So, let’s wrap up 2022 with this list and have a lovely reminisce about some of the best films I saw.
10. Nope – Jordan Peele
After Get Out (2017) Jordan Peele became one of the more exciting filmmakers working and one whose films effectively became required viewing for me. While Us (2019) didn’t quite live up to my expectations, Nope very much did. It isn’t as much an overt horror film as Peele’s previous two films, but when it does step into the genre it is really effective. One scene, in particular, had me unbearably squirming in my seat and not many films get that much of a reaction out of me. Most of all the film is a great ride to go along with. It works as a bit of a sci-fi popcorn flick but also does have deeper and more nuanced themes it is tackling which allow for further discussion once the lights come up and you leave the cinema. The cinematography is wonderful, and the performances are all great which adds to the overall package.
9. The Souvenir: Part II – Joanna Hogg
I made sure to watch the first film before going into this one and I wasn’t as high on it as a lot of other people. However, the sequel definitely worked for me. I thought this was just wonderful. It takes everything great about part one and elevates it. I am a sucker for films about making films and so this worked wonders for me, whilst also elevating part one. The film feels very naturalistic throughout, helped by the acting and cinematography, and it gives the film a slice-of-life feel to it. And then towards the end of the film, there is this sequence which delves into the surreal and it is exquisitely done. The slow pace means it won’t be for everyone, but it worked a treat for me.
8. Moonage Daydream – Brett Morgen
This film is as much a visual and audio assault as it is profound, inspiring, and moving. Not so much a documentary as it is an exploration into the mind and work of Bowie and hearing it from the man himself. Bowie is an enigma and whether this film truly captures him is impossible to ever say, but it certainly made me more appreciative of the man and his work.
7. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy – Ryusuke Hamaguchi
I am not a huge fan of anthology films, although there are a couple that I do really enjoy. So, to have this film as high up on this list as it shows how much I enjoyed it. It is split into three different stories, and each one is engaging and interesting in their own way and are wonderful explorations of human relationships. The cinematography is wonderful, but it is really the screenplay that makes this film as good as it is. It is moving, funny, and engaging throughout and is a really wonderful watch.
6. The Batman – Matt Reeves
Did we really need another Batman film? Probably not, but if you are going to make another one you best make it good, and this film is very good. It is recognisably a Batman film, but it really manages to stand out among the crowd by having a new focus on the character that isn’t focused on as much in other films. Yes, it is very long, and you do feel it at times, but it never left me bored or unengaged and I am looking forward to hopefully stepping back into this universe for more.
5. Decision to Leave – Park Chan-wook
This film doesn’t quite reach the heights of other Park Chan-wook films, but that is just testament to how consistently excellent the director's work is. The film started a little slow and I wondered if I would be left disappointed, but oh boy does it pick up as it goes along. It is beautifully shot and wonderfully performed, and as the film progresses those performances keep getting better and better. The film takes some interesting narrative choices throughout, but they all wrap up brilliantly with the ending which is pretty pitch-perfect. I definitely want to rewatch this again soon as I feel it could yet grow on me even more.
4. Top Gun: Maverick – Joseph Kosinski
This film is hands down the biggest surprise of the year for me. Before I watched it I had it down as a film that could be a bit of a clanger but instead it is going to go down in the history books as one of the greatest sequels ever. It is just a pitch-perfect action film. The narrative isn’t anything new, but it is told impeccably. It manages to work as a very solid sequel, while also becoming its own beast and easily surpassing that first film. But the actual action scenes are just so exhilarating, made even more so by the fact that so much of what you see on screen is real and actually happening, not computer generated. It is genuinely breathtaking at times and if you missed seeing this on a big screen I feel for you.
3. The Worst Person in the World – Joachim Trier
Out of all the films I saw this year, I think this one personally connected with me the most and the one I definitely related to the most. Visually it is brilliant, boasting great cinematography throughout but really coming into its own in the several dreamlike sequences that are scattered throughout the film. These scenes capture the emotions of the moment brilliantly, with the scene where everything in the world stops around our two characters being the standout moment. It also has a fantastic lead performance from Renate Reinsve who is endlessly watchable and engaging. A truly wonderful and often deeply moving film that I implore everyone to watch.
2. Everything Everywhere All at Once – Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kawn
This film is so much a bit of me it hurt. Literally, my face ached after my screening because I had been smiling for so long. Talk about a film that is endlessly creative, and as a result it is endlessly watchable. It had several of my biggest laughs of the year, but also has an emotional centre and heart that is really well constructed and executed brilliantly. Michelle Yeoh is consistently pretty excellent, but she really knocks it out of the park here, managing to capture the absurdity of what is going on while also delivering on the emotional core of the film. There is a lot going on, but it all adds up to an absolute ride and the most fun I had in a cinema this year.
1. The Banshees of Inisherin – Martin McDonagh
I am struggling to put my finger on exactly why I love this film so much, but there is just something about it that completely clicks with me. The performances, across the board, are stellar. Everyone is on top form throughout and the chemistry on screen is wonderful. The script is dark, funny, moody, and grim, but I was endlessly engaged regardless of which tone it was going for in each given scene. Writing this now I am struggling to put into words what it is with the narrative that clicks with me so much. I am as clueless as Colin Farrell’s character, and I think that is what makes it work. It isn’t simple and it doesn’t hold your hand, and most importantly it never buckles and gives any clear reason as to why the conflict between these two characters is happening. It is the film that has stuck with me the most from this year and one I find myself thinking about rather often.
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