*Last Updated 4/6/2023
2022 Films Seen: 85
Number of Films with 'A' Tier Grade: 1
Number of Films with 'A' Tier Grade: 1
Key Films Missed: After Yang, Athena, Decision to Leave, Don't Worry Darling, Living, Marcel the Snail with Shoes On
Brief Summary: Perhaps it's fitting that the last film I watched before publishing my 2022 awards was Damien Chazelle's Babylon - a film proficient at the craft, so enamored with the magic of cinema, and yet so derivative and repetitive of other better films. That's how 2022 felt to me - proficient films, all wanting so badly to be special, but turning out as largely inferior copies. According to my database, this is my worst rated year since 1991; a span of 31 years! Perhaps this is a sign that despite a serious attempt to enjoy and connect with the world's art I'm finding myself less interested and less convinced by it. Or perhaps it's just the hangover of Covid's influence on filmmaking and/or a trend of certain movements coming to an end: the DCU and especially the MCU are not longer making high quality blockbusters like Infinity War and even Liam Neeson, who can be counted on for some quality guilty pleasure fare, turned in multiple whiffs this year (one of them from Martin Campbell!). Whatever is going on, while there were a few bright spots to point to, this is easily one of my least favorite film years of all-time.
Not a "best of" list or a "favorite" list - but a list of the films and sequences (action, drama, comedy, & musical) that I think represent the best the year had to offer. So think of it as a strange mixture of favorite, best, and defining. Once you get to the top ten films, it definitely becomes more defined as a Top Ten list of the year. The number one film is my favorite of the year.
Honorable Mentions: Argentina, 1985 (B-), Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday (B-), Operation Mincemeat (B-), The Redeem Team (B-), Till (B-)
25. All the Old Knives (B-)
24. Jackass Forever / Jackass 4.5 (B-)
23. Enola Holmes 2 (B)
22. The Contractor (B)
21. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (B)
20. Elvis (B)
19. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (B)
18. Fire of Love (B)
17. The Fabelmans (B)
16. The Menu (B)
15. Prey (B)
14. The Hustle (B)
13. The Northman (B)
12. Smile (B)
11. Top Gun: Maverick (B)
THE TOP TEN
10. Navalny (B+): A remarkable documentary about Alexei Navalny, a Russian politician in opposition to the Putin regime. The documentary suggests that Alexei largely grew to fame on anti-corruption platform, putting out popular Thursday Youtube shows that would highlight various corrupt schemes and politicians within Russia. The documentary roughly picks up with Alexei doing some filming in Novosibirsk. His flight back to Moscow is diverted when ends up in immense pain and they must make an emergency landing in Omsk. He is put into a medical facility with limited or no visitation (wasn’t quite clear), but he is eventually released to a facility in Germany where he recovers. This is where the documentary gets practically full access to Alexei and we get to selectively witness the behind the scenes of Navalny’s team figuring out the who and how of the poisoning, the publication of those findings, and the aftermath of his return to Russia. There are two absolutely incredible takeaways for me from this documentary world of 21st century politics and spying. First, how the documentary reveals the power and capability of someone with a computer competency, an investigative mind, and a little money to spend on the black market to piece together what would have previously been spy/assassin teams working in the dark is astonishing. There is a ten-minute sequence where Navalny (the politician who was poisoned!) is able to prank call one of the chemists on the team that poisoned him. In the discussion Navalny poses as an important figure in the Russian government looking for answers and the chemist essentially confesses to most of the details of the operation! It is about as riveting and damning of Russia’s clandestine operations as it can get and it was all filmed in the moment with Navalny leading the call! The second major takeaway is just how little my political world cared about this incredible and damning documentary. Here is undeniable proof of an authoritarian leaders attempt to poison his political opposition and I remember almost nothing of it from the sources I listen to most. How is this possible? How was there not a major issue between US and Russian relations as a result? Perhaps this is the scariest piece of the pie – that as our ability to uncover the worst atrocities of governments in real time becomes stronger, our will to care about them grows weaker. The documentary isn’t perfect, we don’t learn much about Navalny as a politician (not that we need to) other than being anti-Putin, but it’s an amazing behind the scenes wake up call to the capabilities we have in exposing the worst deeds of our government in the moment and not in some committee or coup decades later. If only we have the courage and bravery to sift through and pay attention now.
9. Everything Everywhere All at Once (B+): It's been a long while since a film has come along as powerful, dense, and still accessible as Everything Everywhere All at Once. It's rare I encounter a story that consistently upends my expectations, spans multiple genres, and feels like a fresh take despite having clear roots in other major films. It's even got some of the best kung fu comedy moments since 2004's Kung Fu Hustle! If you've not seen Everything Everywhere All at Once then let me try and give you a one line comparison: It's like if Charlie Kaufman was forced to write his own multiverse tale on the original Matrix but had the Architect show up in the second act, then that script was directed by Michele Gondry...only stranger. The result is an engaging film that challenges the viewer to think and feel about life while still providing a funny and enjoyable movie to watch. I think it's a pretty significant triumph of humanistic filmmaking (despite its major flaws). I'm not a humanist though...at least not in the atheistic sense of the term. I'm a Christian and thus despite all the great craftmanship and beautiful images, I think there's something fundamentally false about the film that undermines me from being anything more than enjoying the film and admiring the way it gets across its message. There are four major points I'd like to make about the message of the film: 1) It does not provide a trustworthy tool for knowing truth about reality 2) It doesn't successfully defeat the nihilistic void it posits 3) It's view of "love" is self-defeating and narrow 4) Its intellectual curiosity stops far too short. Click HERE if you'd like to read more of my review.
8. The Banshees of Inisherin (B+): This film asks, “Can you just suddenly end a friendship?” The question plays out over the rock wall strewn Irish island (No Man is an Island?) of Inisherin in the 1920’s. The inciting conflict is simple, what if one member of a long-time friendship between two Irish men (Colm and Padraic) wants end their friendship. What consequences would develop from that? Colm, played by Brendan Gleeson, one morning decides to stop being friendly with Padraic, played by Colin Farrell. When the two country friends finally sit down and chat about it, Colm opens up, “I just don’t like you anymore” and walks off. All of this happens within the first ten minutes of a 110-minute film. We learn later that Colm has been dealing with the meaningless of life, suicide, and that he can no longer put up with Padraic’s dull and aimless chatter. Colm wants to focus on making music and being more thoughtful, something that will be remembered past his life. The rest of the film observes the fallout of this relationship that may or may not result in the cutting off of fingers and dead animals. In following this fallout the film explores the purpose of friendship and life. Should friendship be an equal relationship? What should we get out of friendship if anything? What does it do to a person inside when they are denied friendship? What is the effect on society as well? Should life be about friendship or achievement? Do the two need be against each other? I found myself fairly caught up in the story and the questions that arise from it. There’s a lot of insight to be had here. Unfortunately, the film lags about halfway through and writer/director’ Martin McDonagh’s penchant for taking his stories to extremes (which absolutely sank Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri for me) takes the story in directions that just took me out of it. I’m sure others will have different results. It’s an interesting meditation, parable like, that is weighed down by a need to shock (if it is just a tragedy) and the lack of redeemable qualities (if it is meant to be more than a tragedy). It’s a bummer because the reunion of Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Martin McDonagh, the key trio behind In Bruges, made this one of my most anticipated films of the year.
4. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (A-): A great animated film that breathes fresh life into a moribund franchise by confidently crafting an engaging fairy tale story that confidently incorporates many styles, genres, and characters. After short prologue about the titular wishing star we are re-introduced to the legendary Puss in Boots in a superbly crafted opening musical/action sequence that establishes Puss (voiced again by game Antonio Banderas) as a legend to the people, a formidable foe to his enemies, and also reveals his overconfidence and pride. As great as Puss comes off in this sequence, he does actually meet his death while showing off to the people’s admiration. Puss later learns that his most recent death was his eighth, meaning he is currently on his last life. This hard reality combined with his near defeat at the hands of a mysterious and intimidating wolf bounty hunter (wielding double scythes) forces Puss to reconsider his life as the adventurous and danger-welcoming outlaw for the people. Puss hangs up the boots and accepts a quiet life in the home of cat lady with far too many cats. This is where Puss meets Perrito, an optimistic dog with a sad backstory who instantly becomes friends with Puss (despite Puss’ protestations). Puss’ quiet life is soon interrupted by Goldilocks and the three bears who are on a quest to recover the map to the wishing star from the film’s big villain, Big Jack Horner. The quest for the map and the subsequent quest to reach the wishing star first by multiple competing parties is one imaginative and thoughtful sequence after another. The idea of a changing fantasy world according to the personality of the person who touches a magical map is squeezed for all its worth. The quest for the wishing star represents Puss’ chance to get his eight lives and legendary life back and the film really does a great job challenging Puss’ fear of death and his ego along the quest. The new characters in the film all stand out with Jack Horner’s villainous comedic quips (John Mulaney) and magical objects making the biggest impression on me. Other characters get plenty of layers as well with Kitty Softpaws, Perrito, and even Goldilocks and the Three Bears receiving significant development. The film’s tone is near perfect here, mixing Shrek's tongue in cheek fairy tale humor (the Jiminy Cricket stuff killed me) and world, but takes itself way more seriously than the Shrek films (there’s no pop culture references/songs here) and somehow naturally finds a way to incorporate a spaghetti Western motif seamlessly in as well. The animation style looks like the Shrek universe but every now and then you’ll really notice 2.5D storybook style applied. It’s most noticeable in the stylized action sequences where frames are intentionally dropped to create a neat effect. The film is not perfect, but it is so much more imaginative, layered, and thoughtful than I expected. It stands alone as a fun animated fairy tale for contemporary audiences, but it also gives me great hope that there might be more life in the Shrek universe than I thought.
3. Women Talking (A-): Sarah Polley's adaptation of Miriam Toews' 2018 novel is an insightful and moving glimpse into painful true stories of the women survivors of abuse in a small ultraconservative religious community. Toews' novel is a fictional representation of a true story that occurred from 2005 to 2009 where women (and some boys) of a Canadian ultraconservative religious community were drugged and raped at night. When they awoke bruised, bleeding, or pregnant they were told it was for their sins or visits from demons. It is a horrific story and Women Talking presents an imaginary situation where the survivors of the abuse convene together to discuss if they will stay in the community and fight the men for change or if they will leave. What follows is a kind of 12 Angry Men style dialogue between the women that artfully and thoughtfully reveals the different personalities, philosophies, and mindsets. We learn more of their stories and find ourselves pondering alongside of them what real forgiveness looks like. I found deeply moving how genuinely the faith of the women are portrayed, not just as a crutch, but as a unifier and guide. There might be things I could nitpick or things that I wish I could have added or questions I would have asked if I was part of the conversation, but that's not really important. Listening alone, despite some small protestations I might want to make, is powerful and challenging enough here. The stories of private suffering, betrayal, and loss of hope are devastating. This is another thoughtful and measured story from director/adaptor Sarah Polley and one of the best films of 2022. It should not be missed.
1. Aftersun (A): A quietly devastating British drama from first-time director Charlotte Wells that demonstrates an understanding of cinema you rarely see even in experienced hands. The film is framed by an older Sophie reminiscing about a vacation she took with her father Calum (it’s his 32nd birthday) to Turkey by watching footage of it taken on a small camcorder. The film spends most of its runtime observing the daily activities Sophie and Calum do on their vacation at a cheap Turkish resort. While there is largely no driving conflict in these sequences, they certainly aren’t boring. The director Wells and cinematographer Gregory Oke have found ways to fill every frame with clues, hints, and heartbreaking details about our two characters and the different struggles going on in their lives that aren’t apparent in their daily routines. It reminds me in many ways how 2003's Lost in Translation had no driving conflict, but was content to follow two people trying to connect to a world they felt disconnected to. In Aftersun, 9 year old Sophie is coming of age and trying to make sense of her relationship to her father and to other boys as well. Where a film like Spielberg’s The Fabelmans gave us a very glossy/old school Hollywood vibe to his coming of age moments, Aftersun is willing to let its audience sit back, observe our characters and their interactions, and come to their own conclusions. Both films deal with disenchantment with parents and the mystery of the future, but I think Aftersun’s passive vibe is much more effective in creating a melancholic context that encourages reflection – at least I related to it more anyways. We also learn that not everything is okay with Sophie's Dad Calum either. What exactly it is, I will leave to you to discover. By the time the film comes to its closing act, an observant viewer will have pieced many of the film’s strands together in a way that the final sequences of the holiday and film not only confirm your sneaking suspicions, but an emotional wallop that few films truly earn. It’s not cheap sentimentality nor was it a soaring score that left me teared up long after the credits – it’s the revelation that the film was also quietly about something else the entire time. Aftersun is a masterpiece in speaking volumes while saying little. It’s not a film about answers or solutions, but an observation on memory, time, regrets, and our parents – especially our parents. About how their love can be felt despite their faults and despite the sufferings we never knew about. It is easily my favorite film of the year.
FAVORITE ACTION SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
The Very Good:
- "Finale: War on the Water" -Avatar: The Way of Water
- "Finale: Baby Assassins in a Gunfight and Fistfight" -Baby Assassins
- "Bridge Attack at Sinuiju" -Devotion
- "Fanny Pack Fight: Waymond vs. IRS Security" -Everything Everywhere All at Once
- "Finale: Gym Fight Between Multiple Assassins" -Everything Everywhere All at Once
- "Street & Spillway Chase: Smuggling Marco to Spain" -The Lost Bullet 2: Back for More
- "Viking Attack On a Walled City" -The Northman
- "Finale: Naru vs. the Predator" -Prey
The Great:
- "Club Fight: Adkins vs. Freya Du Preeze" -Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday
- "German Charge on French Forces is Counterattacked with Saint-Chamond Tanks" -All Quiet on the Western Front
- "Jumper Fight Melee: Safe Rooms, Dogs, Tophies, & Pinkies" -Everything Everywhere All at Once
- "Finale: Bheem & Rama Escape Prison, the Woods, & Defeat Governor Scott" -RRR
The Best: "Finale Part 1 & 2: Bombing Run & Dogfight Back to the Carrier" -Top Gun: Maverick
Commentary: The two finale sequences in the final act of Top Gun: Maverick are two of the best filmed jet sequences ever created. I know it’s a bit of a stretch to combine these two sequences into one, but I think it’s even more unfair to what the film achieved in the final act two separate each sequence and rate them lower with a ‘B+’ or ‘A-‘ when its clear that the entirety of the sequence (minus the ten or so minute break between them) is a genuine cinematic action achievement. The first part of the sequence is the bombing run the group has trained for the entire film. From the launch off of the aircraft carrier in the sea until their bombs are away, the sequence is an expertly filmed and edited thrill ride. Four F-18 jets zoom across a mountainous landscape as they dart and maneuver through a canyon. The score drops out completely and we are drawn into the soundscape of the cockpit as they pilots chatter their way through the canyon, up the bombing run and hit their targets. As they pull out of the bombing run they are fired upon and we get a very quick and kinetic sequence of them trying to dodge and throw chaff to evade the rockets coming at them. Despite the chaos, it all looks genuine and it is a sight to see. Dramatically, Maverick sacrifices himself for Rooster here in a powerful moment. We then get an interlude that sees a downed Maverick and Rooster commandeer an old F-14 jet to fly back to the carrier. They are eventually met with next gen enemy fighters and a dogfight ensures. The original Top Gun dogfights felt like they got fighter photography and tried to build an action sequence from what they filmed. This sequence feels designed from the ground up and filmed to fit. Maverick maneuvers the F-14 incredibly well scoring two eventual kills and maneuvering all throughout the mountainous terrain. This is easily the most exciting, visually thrilling (and genuine), jet dogfight put to film. Well designed and even a nice little false ending thrown in as well. A real classic war sequence.
FAVORITE DRAMATIC SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
The Very Good:
- "Comforting Words for Mom at the Bar" -The Adam Project
- "First Experience: Guard Duty, Bombardment, & Finding his Friend" -All Quiet on the Western Front
- "Learning to Swim & Ride" -Avatar: The Way of Water
- "A Crazy Day's Introduction to a Film Set" -Babylon
- "Doctor Fate Fights & Sabboc & Releases Black Adam" -Black Adam
- "Ensign Brown Passes Carrier Quals" -Devotion
- "Floating Through Multiple Universes" -Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- "Waymond Pleads for Kindness in Confusion" -Everything Everywhere All at Once
- "An 8mm Show in a Closet Exposes a Deep Secret" -The Fabelmans
- "Late Night Talk with Abdellah Over Fossils" -The Forgiven
- "Hustle Speech: Obsession and Talent" -Hustle
- "Training Montage: He's Gotta Tell Himself" -Hustle
- "Therapy Dog: Perrito Calms Puss in Boots' Racing Heart" -Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
- "Sous Chef Jeremy's 'The Mess'" -The Menu
- "Pagan Ceremony: Becoming a Man, Vowing Revenge" -The Northman
- "Meeting an Assistant's Husband - Dancing Around the Issue" -She Said
- "A Feline Gift at the Party" -Smile
- "Finale: Families Stick Together" -Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- "Making First Contact with the Boys & News Trickling Out" -Thirteen Lives
- "The Slow, Methodical, and Exhausting Rescue of the Boys" -Thirteen Lives
- "Trial Testimony: A Mother Knows" -Till
- "Nighttime Kidnapping & Lesson for Bobo" -Till
- "Pushing the Plane past Mach 10" -Top Gun: Maverick
- "Montage: Maverick Schools the Best Pilots at Top Gun" -Top Gun: Maverick
- "Mariche and the Misuse of Forgiveness" -Women Talking
- "Pacifism: We Cannot Stay and Set Ourselves On a Course for Violence" -Women Talking
The Great:
- "When Did You Want to Be When You Were 11?" -Aftersun
- "Colm Helps a Beaten Padraic on His Cart" -The Banshees of Inisherin
- "An Argument Over Niceness" -The Banshees of Inisherin
- "Prank Call: Getting a Chemist to Confess" -Navalny
- "Julliard Lesson: You Don't Like Bach?" -Tar
- "I Lost the Line: Getting Everyone Out Alive" -Thirteen Lives
- "Up Close & Personal: Watching & Regretting a French Soldiers Death" -All Quiet on the Western Front
The Best: "A Last Meal, Last Dance, & Last Goodbye" -AfterSun
Commentary: Most of Aftersun is a study in shaping a deep narrative through a straight forward plot that is filled with subtly, hints, clues, and quiet details. It was much to my surprise that this is largely thrown to the side for the incredibly direct final sequences that end the vacation we've been following and the overarching story of the film. The direct nature of these moments caught me off guard and once I clearly saw what the movie was going for, the tears wouldn't stop flowing. I hesitate to share more here in fear of spoiling your experience. It's a powerful ending that I imagine will stick with me sometime - much like the final sequences in the best films of the last two years as well (Mass & Sound of Metal).
FAVORITE COMEDIC SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
*I'm more of a "television comedy" kind of person, so this category is always a difficult one to put together
The Very Good:
- "Book Tour Disaster: Removing Dash's Shirt Goes Awry" -The Lost City
- "Recounting the Many Lost Lives of Puss in Boots" -Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
- "Cuteness Overload" -Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
- "Beer Pong Competition" -Ticket to Paradise
- "Paranoid Acid Trip in Town" -The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
- "Paddington 2...The Third Greatest Film of All-Time" -The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The Great:
- "Benoit Blanc Solves the Murder Too Quickly" -Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
- "Trainer & Alan Rescue Loretta from Fairfax's Compound" -The Lost City
- "The Final Reveal: Tar's Restart" -Tar
The Best: "Silence of the Lambs" -Jackass Forever
Commentary: Not a lot to choose from this year, but the "Silence of the Lambs" bit from Jackass Forever was a high concept bit that worked like gangbusters and is likely a top ten all-time bit for the entire franchise. Taking cues from the finale basement sequence in the film Silence of the Lambs, the Jackass crew was thrown into a basement (they thought they were just going to be an audience for a different bit), the lights turned off, doors locked, and their minds played with as Knoxville (with night vision goggles) taunted them with fake snakes (with real sounds), cattle prouds, and trashcan lids. A fake "way out" was provided in the pitch black and crew member Ehren falls hard (literally at several points) for it smashing into hanging pots and slipping on marbles on the floor. Again, all of this is in the dark. To top it all off, Chris Pontius is dancing in a kimono in the background. If none of that made sense to you and you've never seen the franchise before - it's a bunch of close friends being jerks to each other for the sake of laughs. This one got a lot of those laughs. It's as simple as that.
FAVORITE MUSICAL SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
The Very Good:
- "Suspicious Minds at the International Hotel" -Elvis
- "Louisiana Hay Ride: Elvis Debuts" -Elvis
- "I Ain't Worried Bout It: Dogfight Football on the Beach" -Top Gun: Maverick
The Great:
- "Trouble at the Russwood Park Show" -Elvis
The Best: "Dance-Off at the Imperial Party" -RRR
Commentary: As with many major Bollywood dance set pieces, this "Let's Naacho!" sequence exudes joy and confidence. Beyond being an athletic showcase of carefree dancing for the two main leads, the dance sequence also plays out well in the storyline. The two leads are looked down upon at the white colonial gathering and this dance is their chance to win over the ladies (easy) and also perhaps win over the men in the crowd that that they belong there as well. This wasn't a strong year for musicals and Bollywood isn't really my jam, but it's hard to deny that this was the best musical sequence of the year.
BEST DIRECTOR
Nominees:
- Edward Berger All Quiet on the Western Front
- Ron Howard Thirteen Lives
- Todd Field Tar
- Joseph Kosinksi Top Gun: Maverick
- John Michael McDonagh The Forgiven
- Sarah Polley Women Talking
- Dan Kwan & Daniel Scheinert Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Charlotte Wells Aftersun
Commentary: While I enjoyed other films more this year and I continue to have major worldview issues with the film's themes and lessons, I don't think a film lived and died more on its directing work this year than Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert's work on Everything Everywhere All at Once. The film's execution was not only a monumental task (especially on the budget they had), but felt like a breathe of fresh air to anyone who has been watching films for a long time. It's been a while since a film with this much ambition had so many of its elements come together in such innovative and imaginative ways. In order for this film to work as well as it does, Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert took dozens of risky creative decisions from editing to wardrobe choices came out with a mind blowing hit rate north of 90% for me. So despite my major critiques and my love for Howard's competence in Thirteen Lives and Wells' subtle brilliance in Aftersun, the award goes to Everything Everywhere All at Once.
FAVORITE FILM ENSEMBLE
Nominees:
- Aftersun
- Banshees of Inisherin
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- The Fabelmans
- The Forgiven
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
- Thirteen Lives
- Women Talking
Commentary: Playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh tends to write very dialogue heavy films and Banshees of Inisherin is no different. In fact, there are basically two types of camera shots in the film, either the camera is looking over a bleak Irish landscape with a melancholy score playing over it OR we are sitting in a bar/house talking. McDonagh also writes films that walk the line between serious drama and comical farce - calling for excellent performers/performances to really pull off his material well. The cast of Banshees of Inisherin pull off McDonagh's dialogue high-wire with ease. Colin Farrell's simple, plain, and kind Padraic (oblivious to his plainness) steals the show here but Brendan Gleeson's frustrated, stubborn, but mannerly Colm is the perfect opposite for Padraic. Additionally, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan find some surprising empathetic notes in their characters - a particularly tough job for Keoghan's heelish behaviors. This is a well-written film, but it is an actor's film foremost. This cast busted the ceiling of the screenplay and brought it to fresh heights.
FAVORITE MALE PERFORMANCES
Nominees:
- Austin Butler Elvis
- Colin Farrell The Banshees of Inisherin
- Ralph Fiennes The Forgiven
- Ralph Fiennes The Menu
- Brendan Fraser The Whale
- Felix Kammerer All Quiet on the Western Front
- Ismael Kanater The Forgiven
- Paul Mescal Aftersun
- Viggo Mortensen Thirteen lives
- Ke Huy Quan Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Adam Sandler Hustle
Commentary: I've always thought Colin Farrell, given the right role, is one of the best actors of his generation. When placed into the Hollywood Leading Man role, he tends to come off bland and simply blends into the film. However, when his character is allowed to be something other than the stories moral center, he usually shines. In The Banshees of Inisherin, Farrell gives a career best performance as an everyday man (though a bit bland, dull, and uninteresting) who is reeling from the abrupt breakup of his friendship with Colm (played by Brendan Gleeson). When the reason for the breakup is that Farrell is dull and aimless, we can see the range of emotions he must deal with. Farrell's performance is able to convince the audience of Colm's reasoning (he really can be dull and uninteresting and just not that bright), while also showing us his humanity, his goodness. As Farrell goes through different attempts to regain the friendship he eventually delves into a dark place - made all the more believable as Farrell's performance makes clear his character can't comprehend what he's done wrong and he sees his entire world fall apart. On top of all this, Farrell retains the ability to garner many laughs from his quick retorts and pronunciations. A deserving win from a deserving actor.
FAVORITE FEMALE PERFORMANCES
Nominees:
- Sosie Bacon Smile
- Cate Blanchett Tar
- Hong Chau The Whale
- Frankie Corio Aftersun
- Danielle Deadwyler Till
- Stephanie Hsu Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Kerry Condon The Banshees of Inisherin
- Carey Mulligan She Said
- Lea Seydoux Crimes of the Future
- Anya-Taylor Joy The Menu
- Amber Midthunder Prey
- Michelle Yeoh Everything Everywhere All at Once
Commentary: Cate Blanchett is one of our best living actresses and her performance as Lydia Tar should go on the short list of examples why. It would be easy to point to the range in her acting, going from very quiet and introspective moments on up to the bombastic body manipulations she makes at the conductor's podium. It would also be easy to point to the devotion to her craft, learning German and the craft of being a conductor for the role. For others, they might easily point out how she loses "Cate Blanchett" and emerges as Tar, in the way she talks, in the more manly ("I'm her father...) and butch gait, to the subtle emotions she can portray with her eyes. That's why this is such a strong performance, no matter what category you want to break it down into, it's immediately clear what she's accomplished. A wonderful and memorable performance.
FAVORITE SCREENPLAYS
Nominees:
- Aftersun
- The Banshees of Inisherin
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- The Forgiven
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
- Smile
- Tar
- Thirteen Lives
- Women Talking
Commentary: While Martin McDonagh's film Banshees of Inisherin has been a popular film this year, I actually think his brother John Michael McDonagh wrote a better film that hasn't gotten nearly as much press. The film plays out like a contemporary Agatha Christie novel set at an upper-class party in the desert of Morocco, except the interest isn’t in finding out the killer, it’s finding out how different people deal with the killing. The story has the sub-text consciousness of an “upstairs downstairs” like novel with Woody Allen’s penchant for moral reflection. There's a lot going on in this screenplay and I enjoyed its range of reflection – religion, imperialism, racism, class, morality, and ultimately, the point of life. The film presents complex characters in various shades of understanding and insight and brings them into its discussion of life and a palpable exhaustion with the conditions both sides are living under. If you are looking for something challenging, with great performances, and should start a good discussion - then check this one out.
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Nominees:
- Fire of Love
- Navalny
- The Redeem Team
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Nominees:
- The Bad Guys
- Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Commentary: If it wasn't for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (which I saw very late), 2022 would have been an incredibly mediocre year for animation. The Bad Guys is decent, but the minions franchise, two failed takes (for different reasons) takes on Pinocchio, and an entire Disney slate (Lightyear, Turning Red, and Strange World) struck out. Watching Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was like a breathe of fresh air. From its opening musical/action sequence to its final touching moments, the film just exudes imagination and life! The movie zooms from sequence to sequence with a rare confidence in its jokes, its characters, and its story. It's as if the film knew was very aware of just how new and fresh it was in a field of formulaic and tired entries. There's just no competition here, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is easily the best animated film of the year.
BEST FILM EDITING
Nominees:
- Aftersun
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Tar
- Thirteen Lives
- Top Gun: Maverick
Commentary: It is a remarkable achievement that Everything Everywhere All at Once is even comprehendible, let alone successful in what it is trying to do. While I'm sure much of a movie like this has the editing baked into its screenplay, the sheer volume of shots, characters, and timelines to juggle here is one intimidating and difficult task. The editing for the film proves not just competent however, it becomes one of the best aspects of the film. While a film like Top Gun: Maverick might be worthy of the award for its handling of the flight sequences alone, there's no complete work this year like Everything Everywhere All at Once.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Nominees:
- Aftersun
- Avatar: The Way of Water
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Tar
- Thirteen Lives
- Top Gun: Maverick
Commentary: More than any other film this year (with the exception of Top Gun: Maverick), the central effect of the film is due to its cinematography. Sure, the direction, screenplay, and acting were great - but the bulk of the film's subtext is largely told through images. Cinematographer Gregory Oke found ways to fill every frame with clues, hints, and heartbreaking details about our two main characters and the different struggles going on in their lives that aren’t apparent in their daily routines. The simple lighting here can mask a complexity to each composition and camera move that perhaps the unobservant eye wouldn't pick up on. Finally, while Avatar is an impressive achievement, Tar is a technical marvel, and Top Gun: Maverick cleary shines due to its practical "in the cockpit" camera commitments, there's not a single film that was able to bring their stories major plot threads and emotional subtexts all together like the final circular panning shot (another play on one of the films themes) of Aftersun.
BEST ART DIRECTION
Nominees:
- Babylon
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- The Forgiven
- The Menu
- The Northman
- The Woman King
Commentary: There were a lot of strong production designs this year and as always, the most interesting belong to historical films that helped to transport their stories to unique locations and times. In particular I quite enjoyed the Dahomey Kingdom in The Woman King and the medieval settlements of The Northman. To be honest though, the production design was about what you expect from most higher budget historical films at this time. Picking one over the other is tough to do. I think the most effective art direction of 2022 belongs to The Menu. From the minimalist layout of the restaurant to the artsy but creative dishes themselves - The Menu's production has remained more memorable and iconic than any other.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Nominees:
- Avatar: The Way of Water
- Black Adam
- Devotion
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Moonfall
- RRR
Commentary: James Cameron's long awaited follow-up to the box office smash Avatar is a big budget cinematic spectacle w/ incredible flaws. If you are judging the a film simply based on its visual effect presentation, then this must might be the best film ever made. The line between computer generated imagery and live action has never been this close. The landscapes and highly detailed textures bring to life Pandora in a way that is bound to make many people believe this was shot on location. On top of that work is the effort put into filming underwater ad conveying water in life like and awe-inspiring ways. While I have visual effects I enjoy more, I think it's fair to say that Avatar: The Way of Water currently holds the crown for best visual effects work of all-time in an objective sense. Sadly, movies are not judged by effects alone and Avatar: Way of Water reminds me of a student who works 30 hours on a 1-hour project and puts all their effort into the art portion that is really only 10% of the rubric and then fails at the 90% content portion. Look, really glad you put the effort into it, but it just doesn't have the substance.
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Nominees:
- Babylon
- Black Adam
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- The Fabelmans
- Prey
- Thirteen Lives
- Turning Red
Commentary: A lot of "good" scores this year. I really liked the different direction that Turning Red went and thought that Babylon was strong but a bit too derivative of previous Justin Hurwitz scores. Ultimately, I think Blank Panther: Wakanda Forever's unique incorporation of sounds and instruments native to African culture into something that sounds contemporary and edgy was the most involving and memorable score of the year - even if the film it was in was the opposite.
BEST SOUND DESIGN
Nominees:
- All Quiet on the Western Front
- Avatar: The Way of Water
- The Batman
- Tar
- Thirteen Lives
- Top Gun: Maverick
Commentary: The sounds of war were impressive in All Quiet on the Western Front. The natural soundscape of Avatar: The Way of Water does well to transport you underwater and surrounds you with foreign creatures. Thirteen Lives puts you right in that watery cave wearing breathing apparatus' and makes you feel the reality of that work. No film however, successfully put me in a cinematic setting through its sound design better than Top Gun: Maverick. Supporting the incredible aerial sequences that sent crowds out of the theater happy is a entire soundscape of jet engines, computer tracking beeps, explosions, pilot chatter, and so on. The big bombing run has almost the entirety of any score drop out to feature just the soundscape. It may not be as showy as the stunning photography, but it's no less vital in putting us right in the pilot seat.
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Nominees:
- All Quiet on the Western Front
- Babylon
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Elvis
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- The Northman
- The Woman King
Commentary: No great front-runners this year, but I'd have to say that the landscape of costumes from 1920's-1930's Hollywood was certainly the most impressive and memorable for me.
BEST MAKE-UP & HAIR DESIGN
Nominees:
- All Quiet on the Western Front
- Babylon
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Elvis
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- The Northman
- The Whale
- The Woman King
Commentary: Similar to the costume category, no great front-runners this year, but I'd have to say that the landscape of costumes from 1920's-1930's Hollywood was certainly the most impressive and memorable for me.
BIGGEST GUILTY PLEASURE
Nominees:
- Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday
- Jackass Forever
- The Menu
- The Lost City
- RRR
Commentary: The Menu answers the question we all had: What if you crossed the guilty pleasure premise in 2020’s The Hunt with the “Do you like cooking this food” sequence from 2021’s Pig? While the themes are ultimately a bit cluttered to me there’s a lot of interesting moments and thoughts here. Imperfect and more ‘B’ movie than you initially think, but the twists, humor, and hypotheticals here are still a lot of fun to ponder as a fantasy drama.
MOST SURPRISING FILM
Nominees:
- The Contractor
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
- Thirteen Lives
- Top Gun: Maverick
Commentary: The Contractor is a nice little neo-Bourne film with high production values and an obvious story. The industry has put a slew of Bourne-esque films out looking to get their own franchise, but the last decade has seen mediocre entry after mediocre entry. The Contractor stands out from its peers. It’s opening scenes really take their time to ground the film and set our central character James, played by Chris Pine, as a good man who wants to do well, honor God, and watch his kids grow up. Unfortunately, after several tours of duty he’s released from the military, bills pile up, and his ethical concerns about private military contract work gives him great pause. When he learns of a juicy opportunity to take a private job for a couple week stint in Berlin, offered by a game Kiefer Sutherland, he jumps at it. After a methodical reconnaissance job by Pine, the black ops team comes in. The tense operation goes awry when the Berlin police show up and they end up in a shootout in the woods, escaping with some injuries. This is when Pine begins to suspect his private contractor isn’t on his side and the film turns into a grounded Jason Bourne chase through Berlin film. Pine does well here selling a special ops soldier who is up to the task, though he is wearied by violence, his father’s shadow, and isn’t some kind of superhero gliding through every shootout and fight. This is an engaging film with clear characters, motivations, and clean action. I just wish it was a bit less obvious (you can figure it out from the word go) and found a more satisfying way to bring itself to an end. Otherwise, it’s one of the surprise action films of the year.
MOST DISAPPOINTING FILM
Nominees:
- Barbarian
- The Batman
- Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
- The Gray Man
- Lightyear
Commentary: On top of lots of hype and great reviews, Barbarian has an incredibly simple and freaky and effective setup: what if you arrived at night at your AirBnB or Vrbo only to discover it was double-booked and the house might not be everything you thought it was? I was pretty stoked going into this one. I won’t say more because much of the substance of the movie is in the reveal of what comes next. My view is that once the reveal happens, I just didn’t care for the direction and kept becoming increasingly frustrated with there the movie went. I don’t think the reset and re-intro works that well. I also don’t think a key decision by authority figures later made any sense. In the end I don’t think it’s theme on women/men is all that insightful or helpful. A promising horror movie that never delivered for me. Overrated, not that insightful, and full of shock for shock sake.
MOST UNDERRATED FILM
Nominees:
- All the Old Knives
- The Contractor
- The Forgiven
- Hustle
- Navalny
Commentary: Imagine I told you that a major world politician was poisoned by the secret intelligent services of a major world power. Then after some amazing sleuth work, that politician was able to prank call members of the team that poisoned him and got one of them to confess to many of the lurid details. What if I told you it was all filmed on a documentary in real time? You'd probably think that news and footage would be as famous as the person standing in Tiananmen Square moment right? Unfortunately, these major revelations are actually made in the documentary Navalny and they have mostly gone without making a huge impact on world politics. Here is undeniable proof of an authoritarian leaders attempt to poison his political opposition and I remember almost nothing of it from the sources I listen to most. How is this possible? How was there not a major issue between US and Russian relations as a result? Perhaps this is the scariest piece of this underrated and somewhat passed by documentary – that as our ability to uncover the worst atrocities of governments in real time becomes stronger, our will to care about them grows weaker.
MOST OVERRATED FILM
Nominees:
- Barbarian
- The Batman
- The Black Phone
- Bodies Bodies Bodies
- Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
- Nope
- Scream
- Triangle of Sadness
- The Woman King
Commentary: Nope is another horror film from Jordan Peele that is absolutely stuffed to the brim with references, call outs, and influences. Like his previous horror films, it has been praised by critics and audiences alike. While I think this is a step forward from his last feature Us, it’s a far cry from his incredible break out hit Get Out. I’ll keep the story a secret as the movie makes a great deal of it unfolding, so I’ll just state my frustrations here. Peele is enormously gifted, but once the movie unveils the premise, it never feels like it lives up to the hype. Perhaps it’s the shifting tones and influences, the unneeded chapter titles, the characters that are hard to connect with, that it drags like crazy in the third act, or any number of things that just never clicked – but I suppose I could overlook it if I just connected with the basic story being told and the family its being told through. I didn't though. Sorry, this is another filled with obvious talent miss for me from Peele.
WORST FILM
Nominees:
- The 355 (D+)
- Blacklight (D+)
- Halloween Ends (D+)
- Jurassic World Dominion (D+)
- Men (D+)
- Scream (D)
Commentary: Yeah the franchise has had five entries now, sure I was skeptical they could introduce something valuable and new, but it had good reviews and box office returns. There had to be something worthwhile to it right? Nope - it's a vacuous and dumb slasher film blowing "meta" smokescreens to try and vainly earn capital as "intelligent". In truth, it's incredibly overcomplicated, twisting itself in knots to tie in enough legacy content to justify the originals returning, and offering a total of zero interesting or engaging characters to truly care about. There's a place for media that memes, comments, and builds upon other media - there's also a downside to it. This film represents the downside - it's a joyless repeat of the same ideas that force our favorite characters to endlessly fall into ruts so we can repeat their original experience again. Like the Matrix Resurrections from 2021, this film makes it clear the creatives behind it have no idea what made the original film so spectacular. I can hear fans of this film, "That's exactly what the film is about, fans of the original wanting something similar! That's what the movie is lampooning!" No, it's not - it thinks it is - but it's not. The point is not to recreate the plot/characters/ideas of the original film. The point is that those things were essential (can't be recreated), but not the soul - the soul was the theme and core idea. If you want to make a true sequel to the original you need to make a different film, like Cabin in the Woods - something that captures the similar spirit, but without repeating itself like a reiteration. Anyways, I think you get the idea. I think it stinks.
BEST COMPILATION OF WORK
Nominees:
- Colin Farrell: The Banshees of Inisherin, The Batman
- Ralph Fiennes -The Forgiven. The Menu
- Tiffany Haddish: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
- Viggo Mortensen: Crimes of the Future, Thirteen Lives
- Chris Pine: All the Old Knives, The Contractor
- Michelle Yeoh: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, Minions: The Rise of Gru
Commentary: A quietly great year for Ralph Fiennes who turned in a subtle and moving lead role in the little seen The Forgiven, but also a studied and particular "villain" in the horror film The Menu. Quiet a two film punch showing his range and tastes.
ERIC BANA AWARD
*Given for the best performance in a bad film (See 2004's Troy)
Nominees:
- Christian Bale Thor: Love and Thunder
- George Clooney Ticket to Paradise
- Jake Gyllenhaal Ambulance
- Ethan Hawke The Black Phone
- Lee Pace Bodies Bodies Bodies
- Kirsten Stewart Crimes of the Future
- B.D. Wong Jurassic World Dominion
Commentary: The fourth Thor film gives us a Thor struggling with an identity crisis - something the film as a whole struggles with. On one hand, it wants to be a wacky comedy and on the other hand you have Christian Bale going full drama mode here giving his utmost to bring to life a God killing villain. Bale feels like he is in a completely different movie, giving his all dramatically, as if everyone else saw his good performance and would just stop constantly joking around so they could actually make a serious movie. That's how good and committed he is - he makes everyone else look like they aren't serious enough.
THE END!
Felicity: Brown.
Chef Slowik: Student loans?
Felicity: No.
Chef Slowik: Sorry, you're dying."
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