This is a list of the best films of 2022. There are many like it, but this one is mine. It is very late, but pay it no mind. The film industry in 2022 felt like a massive and powerful response to the limitations of the COVID-lockdown era. One action film saved the box office industry in America, one Asian film transcended borders to infect us all with joy, great filmmakers put out exceptional entries in their ouevre, and multiple different versions of Pinocchio were released — but only one of the made a positive impact. Let’s have a look at the best films of 2022.
F.A.Q.
- Why isn’t this or that movie on the list?
– Well, you know, either I just didn’t like it as much as you did, or I just haven’t seen it yet. You can’t see everything, and, unfortunately, every movie isn’t released at the same time everywhere.
Honorable Mention – RRR – Directed by S. S. Rajamouli
“An infectious joy, S. S. Rajamouli’s genre-fluid three-hour epic action musical bromance film is every bit as good as its word-of-mouth suggests. It is so charming, undeniably overwhelming, but also just pure movie magic. I hope one day I get to see it with a crowd. Make sure you see this.”
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of RRR.
#10 – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – Directed by Rian Johnson
“When compared to Knives Out, Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion is equally witty and just as sharply written and edited. It comes oh so close to matching the incredible first film. It is an excellent sequel that doubles down on social and political satire as it takes aim at timely targets that it takes great pleasure in taking down. The only thing that keeps this excellent Netflix Christmas present from topping the original film is the ending which is a tiny bit credulity-stretching but also over-the-top to an extent that it ever so slightly muddies the otherwise masterfully made continuation. Give me all the Benoit Blanc mysteries you’ve got, Rian Johnson.”
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
#9 – Babylon – Directed by Damien Chazelle
“When I say that Chazelle is making a movie about the miracle of moviemaking, I am specifically thinking about how studio involvement and a wide variety of other uncontrollable aspects can make moviemaking hellish for some, but then — as the strange but audacious late sequence that takes us through a tour of cinematic history highlights — that arduous undertaking can culminate in a final product that can fill you with an intoxicating and infectious joie de vivre. Movies are little miracles for how challenging they are to make and how magical they can, ultimately, end up feeling. “
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of Babylon.
#8 – Top Gun: Maverick – Directed by Joseph Kosinski
“The reason why I would recommend pretty much anyone to go and see this film in theaters is because of the way in which Kosinski, Cruise, and their team decided to shoot all of the flight scenes. Like I said, these scenes are shot and edited in a way that makes it easy to tell what is going on, but it is more than just that. I’ve never seen flight scenes done as well as they are done here. The realism with which Kosinski’s film depicts air combat, and flying in general, is frankly jaw-dropping because the actors actually went through training and were filmed from inside the cockpit while their jets were being flown by professionals. As a result, you feel the speed and the pressure more successfully than in any previous action film, and that makes the seemingly almost impossible mission in the third act so much more intense and effective. It is genuinely breathtaking.”
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of Top Gun: Maverick.
#7 – The Batman – Directed by Matt Reeves
“With The Batman, Matt Reeves has put the ‘detective’ back into DC Comics (i.e. Detective Comics). It is a dark, grimy, and hard-hitting new beginning for the iconic Caped Crusader, who has here been returned to — and refamiliarized audiences with — his World’s Greatest Detective-nickname. Reeves’ film was clearly heavily inspired by David Fincher’s filmography, as its villain is equal parts Zodiac, John Doe (the antagonist from Se7en), and a content creator, and several scenes in The Batman capture a similar aesthetic as those aforementioned films. It is a film that has a lot of pent-up anger and pain about the legacy of corruption baked into it. On the whole, it is an outstanding superhero thriller, even if it is a little bit too long. It’s not your typical superhero movie, it isn’t action-focused, but I haven’t been this impressed by a Batman movie since 2008.”
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of The Batman.
#6 – All Quiet on the Western Front – Directed by Edward Berger
“Edward Berger’s chilling and uncompromisingly bleak adaptation of Remarque’s novel Im Westen nichts Neues will knock you out. It is a deeply moving and staggering anti-war film that both in an auditory manner and visually rivals the most well-made war films of the previous decade. It isn’t just one of the best films of the year. It’s also one of the best films Netflix has ever released.”
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of All Quiet on the Western Front.
#5 – The Banshees of Inisherin – Directed by Martin McDonagh
“With layered, intelligent, and darkly witty writing, The Banshees of Inisherin is not just arguably Martin McDonagh’s best film but also one of the very best films of 2022. This is also, to a large extent, thanks to the undeniably career-best work from Colin Farrell whose character’s arc is desperately distressing. It is rare that a film full of vulnerability, despair, regret, and tragedy is this good and genuinely funny. “
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of The Banshees of Inisherin.
#4 – Aftersun – Directed by Charlotte Wells
“I could go on and on about Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun and the rich experience of watching it. It absolutely is utterly shattering, but it is also undeniably human — and I think anyone can find something with which they can deeply relate here. It’s not just one of the best and most assuredly crafted directorial debuts that I have ever seen, it’s also a surefire masterpiece that will stick with me for some time. Once I had wiped away tears, all I wanted to do once the movie was over was to remind my parents how much I love them — and that’s exactly what I did the next morning. And so, though some may think it overly sentimental to do so, I’d like to end my review by paraphrasing J. K. Simmons’ Oscar acceptance speech plea. Call your parents. Listen to them. Tell them you love them.”
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of Aftersun.
#3 – Decision to Leave – Directed by Park Chan-wook
“Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave is one of the very best films of 2022. It oozes style and is so wildly impressive that it regularly made my jaw drop because of how inventive, deliberate, and playful Park’s visual storytelling is here. It features some of the best cinematography and editing I’ve seen in recent years. It is also a really well-written and acted crime thriller that morphs into somewhat of a romance film. It is an extremely fascinating watch thanks to an auteur who is at the top of his game, as well as performances that will make you want to watch and rewatch every line delivery. One of the most cited Roger Ebert sayings states that the very best films should seem new every time you watch them. Decision to Leave is that kind of film.”
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of Decision to Leave.
#2 – Everything Everywhere All at Once – Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
“To me, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s Everything Everywhere All At Once is why you go to the movies. It’s the kind of catch-all cinematic experience that I think can help you to understand someone else through its unique, inspired, but somewhat referential transportive science fiction storytelling. It’s funny, it’s exciting, and it is so very peculiar, and I was just so impressed. This is the first masterpiece of 2022.”
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of Everything Everywhere All at Once.
#1 – Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio – Directed by Guillermo Del Toro and Mark Gustafson
“As the film came to an end with a soft and simple but wise lesson about life from Ewan McGregor’s Sebastian J. Cricket, my father cried softly and said: “That was a good movie.” Sometimes I think that’s all that needs to be said. Sometimes you need a good movie to soften you up, and this story of fathers and sons touched him deeply. After the credits had stopped rolling, my father was still drying his eyes and so was I. A priceless moment created by a near-masterpiece of a film. It’s a moment I’ll never forget, and I am eternally grateful for it. I know that it is a tough ask for an animated film with as dark and real a backdrop as this one to be accepted by families, but this is one of the most impressive stop-motion animated films that I have ever seen and it packs an emotional and earned wallop that will sit with you. It’s a film that will make it so that you’ll never look at the story of Geppetto and Pinocchio the same way again.”
Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen, from my review of Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio.
– Article and Reviews Written by Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 