2022 "On Your Left" Film Year-in-Review
It's that time again - celebrating a year's worth of movies! The cinematic schedule was pretty much back to pre-pandemic patterns in 2022, although the number of movies released was still way down, along with the overall box office. But there were still plenty of fun movies to go see. Granted, it was more tilted than ever toward action and fantasy movies, as well as other big draws (horror, family movies, etc.). I was also disappointed to see more and more movies released streaming only - like the Knives Out sequel and The Gray Man blockbuster - that should have gone to theaters. Hopefully, a virtuous cycle of Hollywood releasing higher-quality and more varied movies in theaters with audiences increasingly getting their butts off the couch and into those theaters will pick up steam in 2023.
Here is the format of this post, same as in years past:
- Top 10 films of the year!
- Most underrated/overrated films
- Most surprising/disappointing films
- Worst film of the year
- List of other films I saw in theaters (with links to my reviews)
- Films I saw on streaming
Please check out my companion post here, which is more like my Oscar-style awards. I hope you'll check out some of these movies for yourself!
Top 10 Films of 2022
10. The Fabelmans (Directed by Steven Spielberg; starring Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano)
One of the few straightforward dramas I saw in theaters last year, The Fabelmans is quite a departure for the legendary Spielberg. Joining the trend of filmmakers dipping into their personal lives for the themes - and even characters and plots - of their movies, there are no scary beasts, whip-cracking adventurers, or soaring John Williams themes. Instead we get a pretty normal family, featuring a son growing up and into filmmaking, and his parents' tumultuous relationship. Spielberg does well with this more standard dramatic material but it's sadder, and at times harsher, than you'd expect from the living legend. There's no way this one will stick with me like most of his filmography, but it's a quality film.
9. Everything Everywhere All At Once (Directed by Dan Kwan & Daniel Scheinert; starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan)
As its title suggests, Everything Everywhere All At Once is the most off-the-wall movie of the year. It is so many things at once, in fact, that it's hard to define it succinctly, except that by the end, you feel like you've just woken from a dream. Michelle Yeoh, of Crouching Tiger... fame, is in her wheelhouse with the stellar martial arts choreography, though her laundromat owning-character takes some time to adjust to it. The timing of the multiverse plot, considering its heavy use in Marvel films and others recently, dampens the appeal of that aspect. But the family dynamics, particularly with wayward, funky daughter Joy (Hsu) make up for it. See it once for a unique movie experience - and maybe again!
8. The Menu (Directed by Mark Mylod; starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult)
Despite my aversion to horror movies, I almost went to see this in the theater, thanks to good actors and an interesting premise. Shame on me for not going. In some ways it's a pretty typical horror setup: a young couple takes off on a fun getaway, only to slowly realize that there are more sadistic plans at hand. As someone who rolls his eyes at foodies, though, this is a brilliant parody of that culture, and particularly the obscenely rich ones who take it up for the sole purpose of lording it over others. Taylor-Joy is a cunning, sympathetic audience surrogate, Fiennes is an obsessed villain who is strikingly complex, and Holt is a hoot. I'll still pass on most horror movies... but I'm definitely up for more like this one.
7. Thor: Love and Thunder (Directed by Taika Waititi; starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale)
Debuting in 2011 as a fairly typical fantasy character, Thor has changed significantly over the years, now on his fourth solo film. It was filmmaker Taika Waititi who led the evolution, in 2017's Ragnarok, injecting his eccentric sense of humor into the character. Waititi returns for Love and Thunder which, while not quite as good, is still among the better Marvel movies (a big compliment from me) and has Thor's most poignant moments yet. We get plenty of humor here, from an awkward separation from the Guardians to a daintily-toga'd Russell Crowe, even if it's just short of too silly. But we also get great stakes and impact, from new villain Gorr (Bale) to old squeeze Jane (Portman). Underrated!
6. Violent Night (Directed by Tommy Wirkola; starring David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Leah Brady)
You'll never hear Santa say "ho, ho, ho!" quite the same way after seeing this one. I rarely see Christmas movies in the theater, but 2022 had not just one but two holidays standouts. Throw Home Alone, Die Hard, and John Wick in a blender, and this is what you get. If Santa had been miscast, this could have been a rough watch, but David Harbour is perfect in the role, both grizzled and tough as well as possessing St. Nick's good cheer (down deep, at least). Seeing Santa in hand-to-hand combat with a baddie for the first time is so ludicrous that you can't help but laugh, and the Big Guy "levels up" to some pretty bad ass mayhem by the end. Not for everyone, clearly, but it somehow just gets most things right.
5. The Banshees of Inisherin (Directed by Martin McDonagh; starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon)
This black dramedy is my favorite "traditional"* Best Picture nominee this year. While I haven't seen the trio's first film together, In Bruges, Banshees makes me glad that director McDonagh reunited with Farrell and Gleeson. Little of any consequence really happens here, and that either results in a tortuously-long viewing experience or allows other elements to shine - the latter occurs here. There's no intro, we simply find that a simple man (Farrell) has been cut off by his long-time best friend (Gleeson) for no apparent reason. Looks cruel and dull on paper, but the script and, especially, performances are so great that it is actually both hilarious and very affecting. The relationship's turmoil turns darker as it goes - which I was a little disappointed with - but it's always, somehow, gripping. Watch for Condon's brilliant Siobhan, too.
4. Amsterdam (Directed by David O. Russell; starring Christian Bale, John David Washington, Margot Robbie)
Just edging out Banshees for my favorite drama of the year is Amsterdam, the latest from acclaimed director Russell (Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, etc.). Critics panned it (just 32% on RT) and while I see hints of why, I just plain disagree. I'll admit the script can be a little shaky, at times a little too straightforward or simply awkward. But the trio of characters at its core has great chemistry in a unique, touching, and fun relationship. Christian Bale leads the way, doggedly caring for his fellow veterans yet not stuffily righteous; cranky, but in a lovable way. Don't worry about following all the details of the wild plot - the movie has its heart in the right place, and in my view does a great job honoring veterans. A lovely, memorable flute theme is a finishing touch for a really good movie.
3. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Directed by Sam Raimi; starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Rachel McAdams)
Doctor Strange 2 turned out even better than its superhero sibling Thor, making for a great summer 2022 for Marvel. In the tradition of Marvel's best movies, it somehow combines a number of different objectives - in plot, character, and overall narrative arc - in a tidy, cohesive, and thoroughly entertaining package. Viewers of the standout WandaVision series are treated to a great follow-up storyline for her here, sharing the spotlight with the title character. Wanda is now one of the best, and perhaps most tragic, of Marvel's superheroes. The multiverse idea, exploding onto Marvel's path in Spider-Man 3 just months prior, is further developed in Doctor Strange's particular, mystical style. It is a visual feast, filled with fun, creative action, and a dose of horror (a Raimi specialty) sprinkled in appropriately.
2. Spirited (Directed by Sean Anders; starring Will Ferrell, Ryan Gosling, Octavia Spencer)
A movie I thought was streaming-only, I was pleasantly surprised when it came to my local theater. A long-time Will Ferrell fan, I was eager to see if he could return to his glory days. Well, this is a slightly different Ferrell than of old, but just as good, with a great assist from unexpected yet perfect partner Ryan Reynolds. Spirited is essentially a modern retelling of A Christmas Carol; while that structure can lead to disastrous results, I thought the story was cleverly written and just as well executed. I also thought I'd have to just tolerate the musical numbers, but they were great: well-performed, easy to follow (I can't make out what they're singing in many other musicals!), and just the right balance. With Ferrell and Reynolds, it's really funny, of course, but the film's theme is genuinely warm, not cloying or cliched. Surprising as it sounds, Ferrell now has two classic holidays movies!
1. Top Gun: Maverick (Directed by Joseph Kosinski; starring Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly)
Although I've admired Tom Cruise's dedication in acting, particularly in recent Mission: Impossible movies, I thought that this sequel (thirty-six years after the original) would just be a harmless, disposable bit of summer fun. Actually, it kind of is just that. But it's also a stunning example of why there is simply no substitute for the movie theater. The aerial scenes - from standard aircraft take-offs to intense dogfights - are just remarkable. Like any good action movie, it ramps up the spectacle throughout. The difference is that I thought, before the climax began, that they had already reached maximum velocity. Um, nope. The real-life stunt effects work pays off brilliantly, providing a visceral experience unlike any other, from both inside and outside the cockpit. Maverick also holds its own back on the ground, though. Cruise is, of course, the main reason why. He exudes star power, yet his character is also fairly reserved, with some self-effacing humor, and is easy to root for. Add in some solid co-stars and an authentically vintage style, and it's hard to remember whether you're in 1986 or 2022. So Top Gun 2 won't win any dramatic awards. But it is one of the very best blockbusters of the century.
Honorable mentions: The Batman; Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Most Underrated Film of the Year: Amsterdam (runner up: Marvel movies-sort of)
I seemed to be on generally the same page as critics this year; almost all my top-ranked movies received at least overall favorable ratings. This is probably just the Marvel fan in me, but I do note a growing disrespect, or at least indifferent attitude toward these films. Yes, a lot of them have been made over the last fifteen years. But they are almost all still high-quality, very entertaining movies, even if you haven't kept up with the others.
Amsterdam was the only glaring exception to my alignment with critics in 2022. Browsing some of the headlines, it seems most found the plot too much and/or the tone too inconsistent. I agree that there's a lot of plot, but I found it pretty easy to follow, and most of the details are inessential, anyway. I also thought the balance of tones was pulled off really well. To each their own, but I highly advise giving this a try. (available to stream on HBO Max!)
Most Overrated Film of the Year: Licorice Pizza (runner up: Devotion)
The premise of Devotion is very intriguing, particularly the two biggest (long-overlooked) historical elements in the desegregation of the armed forces and the Korean War. But this movie completely wastes that potential, barely addressing the history. What's more, the script is terrible, cliche and boring. I would just keep rewatching Top Gun: Maverick before ever rewatching this one.
Licorice Pizza is technically a 2021 film, but it's the last of the movies that I'm categorizing in the year it was actually released in my theater. It's astounding to me that this film was nominated for Best Picture, Director, and Original Screenplay at the Oscars, with a 91% on RT. Once again, we start with a good premise, but the rest is a chaotic jumble of barely connected diversions which range from inexplicable and dull to gross (with the exception of one funny scene trying to escape in a van that's run out of gas). Pass.
Most Surprisingly Good Film of the Year: Spirited (runner up: Violent Night)
I have to give this category to the holiday movie duo for 2022. Violent Night is somehow both wild and yet also relatively restrained and sneakily consistent in its quality. This is the anti-Christmas stereotype movie, with plenty of cynical, darker humor and a whole heap of smackdown; yet it still has the gall (and skill) to keep a cheery spirit! That's what I call a Christmas miracle.
But the winner here has to be Spirited, and not just because it is my #2 movie of the year. As soon as I learned that this starred both Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, I knew I had to see it. To be honest, though, I was very prepared for it to be a disaster, or at least, a boringly inoffensive throwaway that would barely register as a footnote in the two stars' filmographies. Yet the take on A Christmas Carol is actually quite fresh and interesting; the musical numbers are inspired; and the comedic writing is high quality. And you know that Ferrell and Reynolds bring it home. I will definitely come back to this one in years to come.
Most Disappointing Film of the Year: Jurassic World Dominion (runner up: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story)
Glass Onion is almost a perfect parallel to 2020/21's most disappointing movie, Wonder Woman 2. Both are sequels to tremendous original movies, and they both fail largely by trying to go too big and almost completely abandoning the smaller charms that made the originals so successful. Importantly, they were both also streaming-only releases (Wonder Woman 2 had the good excuse of the pandemic - but they could have just waited, like Bond did!) for movies that obviously should have gone to movie theaters. The small screen just makes their flaws all the more glaring.
But Jurassic World Dominion is by far my biggest disappointment in 2022. Jurassic Park is still my all-time favorite movie, and I didn't imagine Dominion would come anywhere close to it. However, this is the worst of the six Jurassic movies. The reunion of Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm (while each have a few good moments) shows just how creatively bankrupt the series had become. 2015's Jurassic World, while a much more fantasy-styled movie than the original, was at least well-made and fresh. Dominion takes all the weaknesses of that style and blows them up to awful proportions; from ridiculous dino action scenes and bad CGI to quarter-hearted attempts at characters. Ugh.
Worst Film of the Year: Black Adam
DC continues to be the superhero little brother to Marvel; the Dreamworks to Marvel's Pixar; the Pepsi to Marvel's Coca-Cola; the PC to Marvel's Mac; the Rolling Stones to Marvel's The Beatles; the... OK, I'll stop. Black Adam is a perfect example of DC's hapless efforts to make superhero movies like Marvel - although even for DC, this is particularly bad. There's just little that's positive to say about it; I guess it could serve as a nice distraction for young kids when you need it (although there are better options for that situation). Dwayne Johnson has some acting talent, I'll admit it. But he is still pretty dependent on good writing and directing to point him in the right direction. When you just let his ego take off and don't give him any help, it's painful to watch. The ending sets up a sequel - which I will not be watching.
Streaming Movies:
- The Menu (A-): This made my top-10 of the year, so I'm kicking myself for not going to see it in the theater.
- Hustle (B+): Adam Sandler put in another impressive dramatic acting performance, following Uncut Gems (an unpleasant film, but good acting). It doesn't escape all the sports movie tropes, but this is definitely among the better ones, focusing on the behind-the-scenes effort to get an international star into the NBA. Bonus points for NBA fans, with lots of cameos.
- Elvis (B): It's ridiculous that this got nominated for Best Picture; more so than Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody which was also a stretch. Austin Butler does a nice Elvis impersonation, and it's entertaining. But it's also LONG (like too many movies these days) and meandering, with much less effective character development than it thinks it has.
- DC League of Super Pets (B): A very kid-friendly animated superhero adventure that's also perfectly passable for adults. Johnson and Hart continue to be a good comedic duo and Kate McKinnon is great as the villainous super-guinea pig. It's also pretty forgettable, though.
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story (B): Although it's my disappointment of the year runner-up, Glass Onion isn't bad. It is inventive and entertaining, but just too far out there and not as tightly made. Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc (aka "CSI: KFC") is also much less interesting this time. Let's hope he's back to form with some better writing next time, and it's not just because the surprise factor is gone.
- The Man From Toronto (B): I'll be honest, I really don't remember this movie very well, but it was perfectly fun. Hart and Harrelson made a good comedic combo. If you need something purely entertaining for a night at home, this is a good choice.
- Bullet Train (B-): I considered seeing this in theaters, but the premise just seemed too derivative of other movies I've seen, plus I'm tired of Brad Pitt. After seeing it at home by streaming, I'm glad I waited. It's entertaining, sure, and digs into characters, or at least tries to, more than the action-packed trailers make it seem. But the ending just goes entirely off the tracks, and there's little that distinguishes it from similar movies.
Other movies I saw in theaters in 2022:
- The Pale Blue Eye (B)
- Nope (B)
- The Lost City (B)
- Fantastic Beasts 3 (B)
- The 355 (B)
- Death on the Nile (C+)
I hope that you were able to watch and enjoy some of these movies in theaters last year. And maybe I've convinced you to try some others at home (and to avoid others)! Looking forward to more fun and moving experiences at the cinema in 2023.
