OK so another year has passed, so you know what that means, time to take a good look at yourself and your life choices, decide to make healthy positive changes for the new year, and then sort of forget about it after the first few weeks of the year? Well, yes that, but also time for my annual blog post, where I astound and bewilder you with the number of films I have been able to see in a year and then tell you about my favourites (Yay!) I managed to watch 138 films (over many different platforms) from the year 2022, which is 5 less than last year (I must be slipping). A full list of all the films I saw is published at the bottom, with a basic rating, in case you are interested. Again, some of the films listed as watched here might have been released in 2021 elsewhere, however, here in the lovely Czech Republic, I was only able to watch them this year.
So how was 2022 for films? I would say it was quite a good year, there were a lot more films that I rated Good or Excellent than there were ones I rated Bad or Awful, however, there were also quite a lot that I would just rate as Meh. So, the same as usual. A friend of mine who I won’t name and shame, but for those of you who are in the know, he is from Canada and his name rhymes with Spaniel, has told me recently that I have low standards when it comes to films (as well as books), this may, in fact, be true, however, I don’t care, I’m having fun! Also, the eagle-eyed amongst you may notice there is a huge blue cat people-sized omission from the list, This is due to two very good reasons, firstly the film came out very late in the year and with my works schedule, it meant that I could not spare the 3 hour 19 minutes, to watch it before the end of the years, and second I don’t want to watch it. I did not like the first one and nothing I have heard about the sequel has enticed me to pay the cinema a visit for it.
Also please be aware that this post might contain unintentional spoilers
The Top Twenty One
21) Confess, Fletch
Hollywood has seemingly wanted to make and failed at making a new Fletch film since the last one came out in 1989, with actors like Jason Lee, Ben Affleck, Brad Pitt, Jimmy Fallon, Zach
Braff and Jason Sudeikis all linked with the role originally made famous by Chevy Chase. Finally, Jon Hamm was finally able to bring the irreverent investigative journalist back to our screens. The film sees Fletch who is living
it up in Italy, being sent to Boston to recover some stolen art for his girlfriend, and immediately being framed for murder. An entertaining film, with a great supporting cast.
20) Bullet Train
I read the book this film was based on after seeing the trailer, and yes though there are issues with changing nearly all the Japanese characters, for a western audience, I have to say
that the film was more fun than the book. Brad Pitt plays ladybug, an ex-assassin, who is tasked with stealing a briefcase from a bullet train heading to Kyoto. Unbeknownst to him, he is not the only criminal onboard, British
twin assassins Tangerine and Lemon (Aaron Taylor-Johnson & Brian Tyree Henry) are escorting the briefcase as well as a crime lords son to Kyoto and a young psychopath who enjoys manipulating others (Joey King) has taken an interest in them, along with
some other, who I won’t mention in order to prevent spoilers. fast-paced action, lot’s of double-crossing and some wickedly funny performances.
19) The Menu
The first of two restaurant-related films on my list this year. This dark comedy sees Ralph Fiennes celebrity chef Julian Slowik, having lost his passion for cooking, invite a select
group of guests, who he either blames for him losing his love of cooking, or sees as exploiters of true artisans, to his exclusive restaurant, to dole out punishment. Aided by his restaurant staff who are almost cult-like, with Julian as the cult leader. However, an unexpected guest, Anya Taylor-Joy's Margot
turns up and somewhat disrupts his plans, (not in a Die Hard way). Dealing with issues of art and selling out, this film is full of great performances, as well as fun and quirky displays of food.
18) Dual
This is another interesting film from Riley Stearns, the writer and director of 2019’s fantastic black comedy The Art of Self-defence. Set in the near future Karen Gillan plays
Sarah who upon finding out she has a terminal illness, decides to have herself cloned, so her double will be able to take over from her when she passes, in order to prevent her loved ones' pain. After doing so, however, Sarah
goes into remission. When the clone refuses to be “decommissioned” the law, in this case, is very clear you can’t have an original and a clone both out there, so Sarah must publicly fight her clone to the death so that only one Sarah will remain. Sarah is at first reluctant to take on some of the training for the ensuing fight, though the fact that her boyfriend and her mother, prefer the clone to the original, makes it easier to take it on.
17) Drive My Car
This is a wonderful film dealing with topics of grief, guilt and forgiveness. Hidetoshi Nishijima plays Yusuke Kafuku an actor/director, who following the death of his adulterous wife
has a breakdown. Later he accepts a residency in Hiroshima to produce Uncle Vanya by Chekhov. Part of his contract states due to his failing eyesight, he must have a driver to drive him around, so Misaki Watari (Tōko
Miura) is hired to drive his car for him. Misaki is dealing with some guilt of her own, related to the death of her abusive mother. This is a very quiet film, as the two protagonists form a friendship and help each other deal with
their grief helping each other heal. Truly deserving of its Best International Feature Film academy award and does not feel as long as its nearly 3-hour runtime.
16) My Old School
A documentary about a strange event that occurred at a Scottish secondary school in 1995, where a former pupil, 30-year-old Brian MacKinnon, re-enrolled at his old school, under a new
identity, posing as a 17-year-old Canadian, in order to try and get into medical school again. He had attended medical school in the 70s and had failed seemingly not being able to deal with the pressure then. The events are
recalled by teachers and students who were there at the time (including the director of the documentary), as well as MacKinnon himself, who agreed to be interviewed but not filmed, so in his place, the actor Alan Cumming, who
at the time of the events was in line to play MacKinnon, in a film version of the events, sits in and lip syncs to his interviews. What seems to be a quirky story, does have some dark undertones.
15) Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Surprisingly this is not a film I was expecting to enjoy at the start of the year, in fact at the start of the year I was not expecting this film to exist. Since leaving Harry Potter
behind, Daniel Radcliffe has taken on some really offbeat roles, still, this musical “biopic” is something else altogether. Radcliffe playing a very fictionalised version of Yankovic, parodies the musical biopic
genre, in much the same way that Walk Hard, did 15 years earlier. A fun film with some great performances throughout.
14) Prey
Since 1987 there have been seven films featuring the Predators, (including the two Alien vs Predator films) and only 3 have been good. Predator (1987), Predators (2010) and now Prey
(2022). Prey is set in 1719 on the great plains, and sees Naru (Amber Midthunder) a young healer who wants more than anything to be a great hunter, go up against a Predator alien who has come down to do what they do best,
hunt for sport. This back-to-basics approach for the series is a breath of fresh air and leads to some very inventive and exciting action sequences. Midthunder is excellent as the young determined warrior and Dane DiLiegro
brings back a real menace as the Predator.
13) Rosaline
If you have read my earlier posts and you should do if you haven’t already, you will know that I’m a huge fan
of Shakespeare. Unlike the next film on the list (No! don’t peek ahead), this is a very tongue-in-cheek retelling of the Romeo and Juliet story, through the eyes of Rosaline, the girl Romeo was madly in love with at
the start of the play, and was supposed to meet at the ball before his eyes wandered towards Juliet. The film which uses the 16th-century setting but using modern-day vernacular has Kaitlyn Dever playing the titular Rosaline, a smart, witty young woman, being held down due to the times she lives in, who
is willing to do anything to get Romeo back. A great cast including the always good Bradley Whitford, Minnie Driver and Christopher McDonald.
12) The Tragedy of Macbeth
The second Shakespeare-linked film in a row, this one however is a lot more faithful to the source material. Starring Denzel Washington as the titular Macbeth, Frances McDormand
as Lady Macbeth and Brendan Gleeson as King Duncan, this film has some heavyweight talent on-screen, as well as in the director's chair, with it being directed by Joel Coen (first time without his brother Ethan). Look what
more can I say!
11) Boiling Point
The other restaurant-related film on my list, unlike the satirical black comedy of The Menu, Boiling point is a more serious look at the trials and tribulations of running a restaurant.
Shot to look like one long take over one evening, Andy Jones (played by the excellent Stephen Graham) is the head chef at his own high-end restaurant in London, having to deal with stressful situation after stressful situation
during service one night, including over bookings, health inspectors, staff not up to the job and creditors, all this on top of the breakdown of his family. A brilliant film but a really tense watch.
10) Violent Night
This might be my new favourite Christmas film, and unlike Die Hard, there can be no doubt about whether this is a Christmas film or not (It is). David Harbour plays a very despondent
Santa Claus (the real one) who while out on his deliveries, comes across a family who have been taken hostage by a group of mercenaries, led by an excellent John Leguizamo. Santa has to John McClane his way through all the
bad (naughty) guys, to try and save what seems like the nicest girl in the world. Super violent in all sorts of inventive ways and super fun throughout.
9) The Woman King
Viola Davis is possibly one of the most versatile actresses working in Hollywood today. In this film set in 1823, she plays General Nanisca, the leader of an all-female fighting force
the Agojie, who served the kingdom of Dahomey (located in modern-day Benin), dealing with the encroachment of slavers from a neighbouring kingdom (and Portugal), as well as having to train the next generation of Agojie, this
film deals with stories and subjects rarely discussed or shown on film, (well it's probably more correct to say rarely discussed outside of Africa). A superb cast and some great action set pieces.
8) See How They Run
Now you may not know this however for the last couple of years I have been going through a lot of Agatha Christies novels (mainly the Poirot ones), so when I heard there was a murder
mystery set on the set of her one and only play, the mousetrap, and it starred Sam Rockwell (possibly one of the most underrated actors working today) I was intrigued, to say the least. Rockwell’s Inspector Stoppard isn’t
an eye-catching character like Poirot or even Miss Marple, he is more akin to the down-to-earth dreary Inspector Japp. However, this is in brilliant contrast to the glitzy showbiz background of the setting, the victim and the suspects.
He is also in contrast to the outgoing and slightly naive Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) assigned to assist him on the case. Some very inventive set plays and filming troupes, really help the mystery and storytelling element.
7) The Outfit
This was another unexpected surprise of a film this year. Mark Rylance plays Leonard Burling, a quiet unassuming cutter (tailor of high-end bespoke suits) in mid-1950s Chicago,
who allows the local Irish mob to use his shop as a stash house. One night the son of the head of the mob is bought into his shop shot and bleeding, pulling Leonard deeper into the criminal world than he would like. What
follows is a tense game of cat and mouse, as loyalties are tested and double-crosses occur.
6) Belfast
A look at the Troubles in Northern Ireland, from the point of view of Buddy (a fictionalised version of the writer/director Kenneth Branagh himself), as he grows up in Belfast, just
as things start to heat up. Having to deal with other children acting out and splitting into the same factions as the adults, as well as his growing feelings and friendship with a Catholic girl, this is a story of innocence
in a place where it could get lost so easily. A fantastic cast of Jude Hill, Jamie Dornan, Judy Dench, Ciaran Hinds and Caitríona Balfe portray the ordinary family caught up in extraordinary times, that they have no
control over.
5) The Banshees of Inisherin
Written and directed by the writer and director of In Bruges. Martin McDonagh is reunited with both the stars of his 2008 hit. If, however like their previous collaboration you are expecting
a fun crime drama, you will be in for a surprise. This film has been described as a black tragicomedy, the comedy only coming from the situation the leads find themselves in and the absurd lengths they go to due to them. In the early
1920s on a fictional island off Ireland called Inisherin, Brendan Gleeson’s Colm, one day decided he no longer wishes to be friends with Colin Farrell’s Pádraic, as he finds him too dull. This catches
the nice Pádraic off-guard, especially as the island is not exactly full of people, for Pádraic to be able to find himself a new friend. His attempts to change Colm’s mind and Colm’s insistence
that he wants nothing to do with Pádraic lead the pair down a dark path. The film is shot in what I can only describe as a bleakly beautiful way.
4) Top Gun: Maverick
This film was another surprise for me this year. I am not a fan of the first film. I watched it once when I was younger and found it boring and all the characters somewhat annoying (Yes, I was overly judgemental even then). In Top Gun: Maverick though, Tom Cruise’s Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is a much more compelling character, as a man whose time has supposedly past, or that’s
what people keep telling him. Given the assignment to train a set of younger pilots for a near-impossible mission, Maverick must try and juggle the expectations of his superiors, with the egos of the pilots, who are quite
literally the best of the best (and they all know it), as well as dealing with the son of his best friend, who holds a grudge against him. If this all seems like a lot of drama, then don’t worry, the film also
has some of the best flying action, you are likely to see anywhere. Should you ever get a chance watch this on the biggest screen possible.
3) The Batman
The only comic book film to make my list this year (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was very close to making it). Though Robert Pattinson’s depiction is not my favourite version of Batman (R.I.P. Kevin Conroy), I don’t think he is supposed to be anybody’s favourite version.
This is a Batman still early in his ‘career’ and still seemingly learning the ropes, for most of the film, however, the growth he shows by the end of the film has me interested enough to look forward to what he
brings in his next outing (fingers crossed Warner Bros don’t screw it up). What I really love about this film though is Gotham City itself, this is very close to being the version of Gotham I love in the comic. Matt
Reeves has got the griminess and the atmosphere just right. Also, the voice-over narration from Batman’s journal, give just adds to the comic-book feel of the film for me. The rest of the cast is also excellent, especially
Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle, Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon and Paul Dano as the creepiest version of The Riddler (my personal favourite Batman villain), I have ever seen.
2) Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Rian Johnson has done it again. He has crafted an original mystery story, with one of the best original on-screen detectives Benoit Blanc (still loving the accent) and filled the rest of the cast
with talented actors to create a fun ensemble piece. This time the group of unlikeable suspects are played by Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe, Edward Norton and Leslie Odom Jr. A bunch of obnoxious
friends who gather at the house of head douche Miles Bron (Norton) for a murder mystery weekend. The entire cast is fantastic, and Craig is in fine form as the charming southern detective, who it’s hard to take seriously.
This is one of those films where you know the cast was having a lot of fun and bought you along with them.
1) Everything Everywhere All at Once
This film is straight-up bonkers but in the best possible way. Michelle Yeoh plays Evelyn Quan Wang, the downtrodden owner of a laundry, who
while being audited by the IRS, finds out, through an alternative version of her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) that there are multiple parallel universes out there, each with a different version of Evelyn, who made different
life choices and therefore have led different lives, and that this Evelyn can access those memories and skills, and she is needed to help fight off Jobu Tupaki, a powerful being who is a threat to every universe in the multiverse,
and who also happens to be an alternative version of Evelyn’s estranged daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu), and this is when the madness really kicks-off, there is jumping all across the multiverse, to see different versions
of Evelyn, from a sign spinner to a glamorous film star, to chef in a weird Ratatouille homage, to an Evelyn on a world were the people evolved with hot-dog fingers. There are multiple fight scenes, where Evelyn must use
a plethora of different skills, also a fight that involves a strange-looking desk ornament, that I won’t ruin for you. All this while in the IRS building, being audited! However, all the craziness is kept together by
the central relationships of the Wang family. This is a fun film, however, it deals with some serious issues such as depression, rejection, regret and family pressures, and the cast pulls it off admirably. Michelle Yeoh is obviously
great, and gives multiple brilliant performances, showing off her acting range. Ke Huy Quan (so good to see him after so long) and Stephanie Hsu also give outstanding performances and deserve a special mention.
And my worst film of the year for 2022 is.........
Moonfall
I was close to putting Rob Zombie’s The Munsters as my worst film of the year. However, given the costs of the two films, also if you compare the on-screen talent on show, I think
Moonfall has to go down as the worse of the two films. It’s a film about the moon losing its orbit and now travelling towards the earth, causing mayhem and destruction. This is an awful film, featuring possibly the most annoying
character I have seen on screen for a long time, John Bradley’s K. C. Houseman. With the likes of Halle Berry, Michael Peña and Patrick Wilson starring, this is a criminal waste of on-screen talent and a massive
waste of time.
Complete list of Films I watched in 2022
Ratings
Excellent = Must watch
Good = Should watch
Meh = Fine
Bad = Can be avoided
Awful = Avoid
Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday - Good
After Yang - Excellent
Ali and Ava - Good
All Quiet on The Western Front - Good
All The Old Knives - Meh
Ambulance - Meh
American Underdog - Meh
Amsterdam - Good
Apollo 10½ Space Age Childhood - Excellent
Armageddon Time - Good
Beast - Good
Beavis And Butt-Head Do the Universe - Bad
Belfast - Excellent
Bigbug - Good
Black Adam - Meh
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Excellent
Black Phone - Excellent
Blonde - Meh
Bodies Bodies Bodies - Meh
Boiling Point - Excellent
Brian and Charles - Good
Bullet Train - Excellent
Catwoman Hunted - Meh
Charlotte - Good
Chip n Dale Rescue Rangers - Good
Clean - Good
Clerks III - Good
Confess Fletch - Excellent
Cyrano - Good
DC League of Super-Pets - Excellent
Death on the Nile - Good
Death to 2021 - Good
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - Excellent
Dog - Good
Don't Look Up - Good
Don't Make Me Go - Meh
Don't Worry Darling - Meh
Drive My Car - Excellent
Dual - Excellent
Elvis - Meh
Emergency - Excellent
Everything Everywhere All at Once - Excellent
Fantastic Beasts The Secrets of Dumbledore - Bad
Father Stu - Bad
Fistful of Vengeance - Bad
Fresh - Good
Ghostbusters: Afterlife - Good
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - Excellent
Good Luck to You Leo Grande - Good
Green Lantern: Beware My Power - Bad
Halloween Ends - Meh
Home Team - Bad
House Of Gucci - Bad
Hustle - Good
I Want You Back - Meh
Interceptor - Bad
Ip Man the Awakening - Meh
Jackass forever - Good
Jerry and Marge go Large - Meh
Jurassic World: Dominion - Bad
Lamborghini The Man Behind the Legend - Meh
Licorice Pizza - Excellent
Lightyear - Meh
Luck - Meh
Mad God - Bad
Madelines - Bad
Marry Me - Meh
Me Time - Bad
Men - Good
Menu - Excellent
Moonage Daydream - Good
Moonfall - Awful
Morbius - Awful
Mr Malcolm's List - Good
Mrs Harris Goes to Paris - Good
Munich - The Edge of War - Meh
My Fathers Dragon - Meh
My Old School - Excellent
Nightmare Alley - Excellent
Nope - Good
Operation Mincemeat - Good
Pearl - Good
Persuasion - Good
Pinocchio (Guillermo del Toro) - Good
Pinocchio (Robert Zemeckis) - Bad
Prey - Excellent
Raymond and Ray - Good
Rosaline - Excellent
Samaritan - Bad
Scream - Meh
See How They Run - Excellent
She Said - Good
Slumberland - Good
Smile - Good
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 - Good
Spiderhead - Bad
Spirited - Bad
Studio 666 - Good
The 355 - Meh
The Adam Project - Meh
The Amazing Maurice - Good
The Banshees of Inisherin - Excellent
The Batman - Excellent
The Bubble - Meh
The Contractor - Bad
The Duke - Good
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain - Meh
The Fabelmans - Good
The Greatest Beer Run Ever - Good
The Grey Man - Meh
The King's Man - Good
The Lost City - Meh
The Lost King - Meh
The Man from Toronto - Bad
The Munsters - Awful
The Northman - Meh
The Outfit - Excellent
The Phantom of the Open - Meh
The Sea Beast - Good
The Tender Bar - Good
The Tragedy of Macbeth - Excellent
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent - Excellent
The Woman King - Excellent
The Worst Person in the World - Good
Thirteen Lives - Meh
Thor: Love and Thunder - Meh
Three Thousand Years of Longing - Good
Ticket to Paradise - Good
Top Gun: Maverick - Excellent
Triangle of Sadness - Good
Troll - Good
Turning Red - Excellent
Uncharted - Meh
Violent Night - Excellent
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story - Excellent
West Side Story - Meh
Where the Crawdads Sing - Good
X - Good
