I was lucky enough to see 70 of the 2022 new releases before the end of the year. The following ranking is mainly based on how much I enjoyed each film, rather than focusing on technical aspects, but of course, these aspects still did impact my viewing experience and thus each film’s place in the ranking. The whole list can be seen here, which I will continue to update as I catch up in the new year on some of the releases I missed, or as I re-watch some films and rearrange the ranking. For now, here are my top 22 films of 2022, as of January 1, 2023.

22. The Fallout (dir. Megan Park)
In her directorial debut, Megan Park tackles one of the most devastating issues facing America today: school shootings. Following students Vada, Mia, and Quinton as they form unique bonds in the aftermath of a devastating event at their school, this film was a heavy but very important watch, contributing so well to ongoing art about this violence and its ramifications emotionally on the students of today.

21. The Wonder (dir. Sebastian Lelio)
Since becoming a fan of period pieces in 2021, The Wonder was one of my most anticipated of 2022. Florence Pugh’s performance is stunning, the story had me engaged from the beginning, and the unique choice of the way the film both starts and ends works for me, giving the film the 21st spot in my ranking. 

20. The Menu (dir. Mark Mylod)
Watching The Menu was one of the most fun theatre experiences I have had since returning to theatres in 2021. With the same dark and satirical humour resonating throughout the film as achieved in Succession, this was a twisted ride that I enjoyed every minute of. Such an interesting watch not just from the point of view of food, but also from any industry that people are known to obsess over (*cough* the film industry *cough*).

19. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (dir. Rian Johnson)
The only film on this list that I have (as of January 1st, 2023) seen twice, and much like the first instalment, Glass Onion only gets better on the rewatch. A step down from the first instalment in my opinion, but with such a contrasting cast and location, as well as a heavier focus on detective Benoit Blanc, comes very close to the original, creating vastly different films and viewing experiences. 

18. After Yang (dir. Kogonada)
After Yang was a unique look into a possible future world, where one family, consisting of an adopted human daughter and her android companion, experience the intricacies of family dynamics with the malfunction of the android. A compelling story tackling family, relationships, race, and technology, that can’t help but leave every viewer thinking of the future of relationships and the ones they are in right now.  

17. Causeway (dir. Lila Neugebauer)
Jennifer Lawrence excels as a returned veteran in Causeway. Standout in this film is the relationship between Lawrence and her co-star Brian Tyree Henry, who both help each other to live in the world now plagued by their pasts, trying to move into their futures. 

16. Cha Cha Real Smooth (dir. Cooper Raiff)
Being 22, it’s an awkward time of no longer being a child, but still feeling too young to be an adult. As someone finishing school this year with no idea what is coming next, watching Cha Cha Real Smooth was a cathartic experience of reminding me that maybe, for now, the best path forward is simply knowing you have a path, and just following along to see where it ends up. 

15. Bodies Bodies Bodies (dir. Halina Reijn)
One of the few movies that I feel truly understands Gen-Z as a group of human people who experience the world rather than a bunch of test subjects not to be taken seriously, I was surprised to love this film as much as I did. Rachel Sennott blows everyone away with her performance, with an ensemble cast that will have you both laughing out loud, and also gasping at the final twists. 

14. Triangle of Sadness (dir. Ruben Ostlund)
I was lucky enough to see this film at the North American premiere at TIFF. I honestly think that if I did not see this in theatres, but instead on a home release I would have turned it off at *that* scene. Thankfully I kept watching in the theatre, and throughout the three parts of the film, each had my eyes glued to the screen and laughing out loud at the fun it pokes at wealth, class oppression, and the ultra-rich. 

13. All Quiet on the Western Front (dir. Edward Berger)
All Quiet on the Western Front is a beautiful story of four young men fighting in World War 1. It is bleak, dark, and what I think is one of the best films to portray the horrors of World War 1. The sound is incredible in this film, with the music choices making my viewing experience that much more eerie. ​

12. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (dir. Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson)
Another film that I was surprised to love as much as I did, Pinocchio works for me in all the ways I would not expect it to. The stop-motion achievements are incredible to watch, and unlike some others, the few musical moments really worked for me. Maybe not for children but something too special to disregard as “just another remake of a classic story”. 

11. Top Gun: Maverick (dir. Joseph Kosinski)
With the original Top Gun being one of my mom’s favourite movies, I was brought to the IMAX theatre on opening weekend to watch what has become the sensation that is Top Gun: Maverick. The film industry has come so far since the first film was released in 1986, and this film is a perfect look into the achievements that have been made, as well as a unique look at aging and the anxieties that come with it. 

10. Great Freedom (dir. Sebastian Meise)
Great Freedom follows Hans, a gay man repeatedly imprisoned under paragraph 175, which criminalizes homosexuality in Germany, from 1945 until 1969. This film tells this dark side of history, which is too often overshadowed by other historical events, with such grace and humanity, exploring how love and tenderness can be found in the dreariest and darkest places and times.

9. Women Talking (dir. Sarah Polley)
A simple story that observes the discussions of a group of women in a religious colony, a story that, in the wrong hands, could be hard to relate to and understand fully because of its isolated characters and their religion, Sarah Polley instead achieved my empathy for all characters involved, leaving me questioning so much about my own life and the importance of words to every person’s understanding of the world around them.

8. Nope (dir. Jordan Peele)
It is hard to talk about Nope without saying something that has already been said. With a stark commentary on the process of filmmaking, I love the space the film gives for each viewer to experience the story and characters through their own personal history, as I am convinced that each person leaving a viewing of this film will take some different message or meaning away from it. One of the most unique and unexpected narratives I have ever seen. 

7. Babylon (dir. Damien Chazelle)
I will admit now that I am a Babylon lover. Following the lives of multiple characters in Hollywood living through the shift from silent film to talkies, I was mesmerized by each character and left wanting only more from all of them. While some have argued the ending feels gimmicky, I have to say that I think it tied the vast number of stories together so well, leaving me with much more sympathy for those in the films I have watched for my whole life. 

6. Bones and All (dir. Luca Guadagnino)
I still have nightmares about this film, but I think that is just what makes Bones and All so great. A road trip love story following two “eaters”, I was surprised how much I cared about these characters and their relationship y the end of the film, despite their appetites for human flesh. Taylor Russell shines in this film, and is supported so carefully by a career defining performance from Timothee Chalamet. I will probably never watch this again.

5. The Banshees on Inisherin (dir. Martin McDonagh)
When I first heard about this at TIFF, I was convinced it was not for me. Following the lives of two men, who used to be best friends, when one day one of them decides he no longer wants to be friends anymore. I did not expect this film to have me thinking so deeply about legacy and the role we play in other people’s lives, but in such a simple and accessible way that never comes off as pretentious or above anyone, despite these themes.

4. Everything Everywhere All at Once (dir. Daniels)
In the year of the multiverse movie, this film shines. While Michelle Yeoh gives a stunning performance of a mother and wife who is recruited to travel through the multiverse to fight a threat to all universes, it is Stephanie Hsu who truly tied this film together for me. One of the characters I related to most in the films released this year, giving a standout performance that brings up topics of mother-daughter relationships, queer identity, immigration, and the overall struggle of finding your place in the world in your 20’s. 

3. The Fabelmans (dir. Steven Spielberg)
I love the movies, and more than that, I love movies about movies. Spielberg once again proves he is one of the greatest for a reason, and by telling the story of Sammy Fabelman as he grows up discovering both his love of film and a secret within his family, I have nothing but more respect for the amazing filmmaker that Spielberg has come to be known as. And how can I mention this film without referencing to the final scene of the film, one of my favourite endings and cameo’s of the year. 

2. TAR (dir. Todd Field)
I still can’t say I fully understand TAR, but I think that makes it all the more intriguing. Following conductor Lydia Tar as she prepares for the performance of her career, as her past begins to catch up with her, the film is surprisingly funny but all around disturbing as Tar faces her past and her future together. I was blown away by this stunning character study of a woman who is not too unlike those we have seen in real world workplaces and news articles, the sound design really emphasized the anxieties produced by the film, and the ending will go down as one of the funniest and greatest ending of all time… at least for me.

1. Aftersun (dir. Charlotte Wells)
Do you ever watch something that feels so personal, you feel like a mere voyeur in someone else’s memories who does not deserve to be there? Charlotte Wells’ directorial debut Aftersun gave me that exact feeling, while also inviting me in to experience the world of this father and daughter through my own history and personal experiences. The cinematography is gorgeous, and creative decisions in both the camera work and the overall narrative make this young girl’s memories so personal, yet so universally understood and experienced that truly allowed me to connect with these characters in this sweet glimpse of life film. ​