By With the new year upon us, it’s always a time of year to look back and reflect on the previous year. Even though there’s no actual change in anything going from one year to another, it’s a symbolic change that represents new beginnings. The old year is dead and we kicked its corpse a bit not too long ago, but we’ve also had a lot of good times together. In fact, there were quite a lot of movies this year that so many of us loved quite a lot. And this list is here to honor them, as we look at what we consider to be the best movies of 2022.
A couple of things to keep in mind. First, if you didn’t look at the other list, we’ve reviewed 85 movies this year, but we’ve certainly seen way more than that. Our policy for these lists is that we had to have reviewed the movie formally in order for it to get a spot on our best-of-the-year list. Not only that, but it would have had to have scored an 8.5 or above for it to make our list. We’re not going to throw endless amounts of movies at you like other sites that have dozens upon dozens of movies that are considered “the best.” We feel that cheapens a score and the overall quality of a film. Many films can be considered good, but only a few can really be considered great.
With that being said, we’ve prepared for you a healthy dose of 8 movies that have reached that threshold and can firmly be called one of the best movies of 2022. If you haven’t seen any of these films, we highly recommend giving them a try if you haven’t already.
Copyright: Neon
The Worst Person In The World – 8.5
“As the screen faded to black and the audience filtered out, my roommate and I were glued to our seats. We knew we saw magic, a film validating our experiences as confused adults. Joachim Trier created a cinematic experience that perfectly captures the essence of growing up in a world where things are rapidly changing. COVID-19, climate change, feminism, sexuality, yoga, and social media are just some of the concepts circling in Julie’s life (and many young-ish adults’ lives as well). We can’t know what the next day will bring us, so like Julie we must try to live in the moment.” – Sophia
Copyright: Disney/Pixar
Turning Red – 8.5
“I wish more than anything I could have seen this on the big screen. Some of the key setpieces would have hit harder in a theater than just on my puny laptop. Some movies are best enjoyed on the largest screen possible, and Turning Red is one of those movies. But regardless of how it was delivered to me, the film is infinitely charming and sweet, carrying Pixar’s standard excellent animation in an authentic and sweet package that makes me want to rewatch it again and again.” – Jesse
Four Samosas – 8.5
“Four Samosas is a film that I didn’t have a lot of expectations going into it, but it turned out to be one of the biggest surprises for me at the Tribeca Film Festival. Not only did I enjoy what I was watching, but I was having a great time with it. There’s just enough heart to endear you to its cast of idiots as they bumble their way from one bad situation to another. They commit to their stupidity, and I can’t help but appreciate it.” – Jesse
She Said – 8.5
“When this arrives in cinemas for general release, I don’t want people to see it as just another film of many contenders during awards season. She Said tells an important story, not just about how perpetrators of abuse are brought down, but about the struggle of the women behind the story and how they risked everything to bring the truth into the light. I don’t want it to be forgotten easily – using the industry of film which abusers so often hid behind, it unmasks the people who cared enough about each other’s stories to dedicate years of their lives to it and to inspire a worldwide feminist movement.” – Sian
Copyright: A24
The Whale – 8.7
“The Whale is a movie about quite a few different ideas: how shame, grief, and repression can become physical manifestations in our lives; religious trauma; broken families. While there still isn’t even a trailer out yet, I think Brendan Fraser will be one of the most talked about actors of the year. He’s just as good as everyone says he is.” – Sophia
Copyright: A24
Everything Everywhere All At Once – 9
“People will quickly go onto social media after watching the latest Hollywood tentpole and proclaim it changed their lives, but I mostly give a shrug of indifference towards things. That’s not to say I dislike or hate newer films, but more that nothing surprises me anymore. That’s what makes a film like Everything Everywhere All At Once so astounding. While I was looking forward to the movie solely because of Michelle Yeoh, I truly didn’t think it would wind up being this multi-layered story about the choices we make, the people we spend our time with, and the various different paths we gave up to spend time with the people we love.” – Peter
Copyright: Netflix
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – 9
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery makes the first film look like amateur hour in comparison. When we inevitably have to talk about great movie mysteries, the Knives Out series is almost certainly going to be mentioned from here on out. One time is a fluke. Two times is a pattern, and this is the rare movie sequel that is better than the first film in virtually every way.” – Jesse
Copyright: GKIDS
Belle – 9.1
“Belle is life-affirming and reminds me just what anime is capable of. It’s a tour-de-force that has both style and substance. It’ll break your heart and melt it at the same time. It’s the kind of movie that you need to see for yourself. Even if you’re not a fan of anime, I cannot recommend Belle enough. I almost wish Hosoda went into retirement after this because whatever comes next, it’s not going to be as good as Belle. And that’s a fact.” – Jesse
