Worst2First: Ranking the 137 Films I Saw in 2022 Part 3: The Top Ten of 2022

Worst2First:
Ranking the 137 Films I Saw in 2022
Part 3: The Top Ten of 2022

2022 was a spectacular year for film in both the big and small screen, and there was a number of stellar movies that were released that year, and it was almost impossible to narrow down my top ten favorites. While some of these films were technically released in 2021, they were in limited release and didn't receive a wide release until 2022, so I'm including them in this list.

So here are my top ten films I saw in 2022...

**THERE WON'T BE ANY SPOILERS**

#10

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

In a world where it's normal and even praised to be cruel and mean to one another, we need a film like "Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris" to show us that there still is goodness out there, and opens our eyes to the ability to chase down our dreams. Leslie Manville does a complete 180 in the world of fashion from her Oscar-nominated role in "The Phantom Thread" and stars as the titular Mrs. Harris, a lowly widowed housekeeper who desires to purchase a Christian Dior dress. Getting the funds together she goes to Paris to obtain it, and along the way she touches the hearts and minds of the social elite as well as the hearts and minds of the audience, leaving us with an infectious smile and hope for the future.

#9

Pearl

Director Ti West made his long-awaited return to horror in 2022 with "X," which was a standout film that paid homage to the likes of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" with its 1970s style, focusing on a group of pornographic filmmakers who make a film on the farm belonging to an elderly couple, and who find themselves under attack by the owners. After the credits we were shocked with the trailer for "Pearl," an origin film on the elderly woman in the film that was filmed in secret along with "X" and starring Mia Goth as the titular Pearl. Shot in classic Technicolor style, "Pearl" is more a deep character study on why she goes insane than continual blood and guts (although those are also included), and Mia Goth gives a wholly committed performance.

#8

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Voice actress Jenny Slate and her then-husband Dean Fleisher-Camp created a series of YouTube shorts centering on Marcel, a sentient shell who wears shoes and generally talks about the seemingly humdrum moments of life with a spark of innocence and dignity. The big-screen debut of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is nothing short of magical, a film where he attempts to find his family and along the way struggles with sadness, grief, and the fear of the unknown - but still finding the strength to achieve the impossible. Heartwarming, touching, and even comedic, "Marcel the Shell With Shoes On" will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the world as well as a few tears you'll have to wipe away.

#7

The Fabelmans

"Movies are dreams you never forget." Since the pandemic hit the cinema has taken a beating, as most people now watch films on home streaming services than attending the big screen, and "The Fabelmans" shows why it's still important that movies be shown on the biggest screens possible: they're the dream-givers, the inspirations, and what unites us. This pseudo-autobiographical film directed by the great Steven Spielberg centers on the Fabelmans, a Jewish family living in the 50s-60s with an intellectual father and free-spirited mother, both of whom shape the young Sammy Fabelman to eventually pursue his dream as a filmmaker. Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and especially Michelle Williams give awards-worthy performances, but it's standout Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy that steals the show and proves that this young actor has a talented future.

#6

RRR

A Tollywood film running over three hours, I was very apprehensive to watch such a spectacle, but after hearing the rave reviews I had to see it, and by goodness it was one of the most outrageous, insane, and absolutely unforgettable moviegoing experiences I've ever beheld - all in a good way, of course. Centering on two of India's most powerful leaders (who never met in real life) who unite to free the people from evil British rule, "RRR" is an action spectacle from the get-go, but also an epic bromance tale the likes of which you've never seen, and CGI effects that puts Marvel to shame.

#5

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

While the story of Pinocchio has been pretty much owned by Disney, their live-action outing this year was lackluster at best (from what I've heard, I didn't have any desire to see it), but that all has changed thanks to "Pan's Labyrinth" director Guillermo del Toro, who brought his years-long "Pinocchio" to the (small) screen thanks to Netflix. Anyone who crafts a stop-motion animation film never does so just to make money, but it's a passion project due to the immense effort it takes to craft it, and it shows with every intricate frame of "Pinocchio," centering on the story of the wooden boy who wanted to be real. More than that, the film is a deep study on grief, death, and the resounding human spirit that lies in us all, delivered with gusto by not just the animation team but the committed vocal performances by the likes of Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Cate Blanchett, Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton, and young newcomer Gregory Mann as the voice of Pinocchio himself.

#4

The Banshees of Inisherin

Director Martin McDonagh brings back his "In Bruges" stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson for "The Banshees of Inisherin," both a look into the loss of friendship as well as an allegory of the Irish Civil War, delivered with a darkly humorous feel that only McDonagh could accomplish. Farrell plays Padriac, a dim-witted yet sincere man living on the small Irish island of Inisherin who's only thoughts of the day involves taking his pet donkey Jenny and drinking a pint with his best friend, Brendan Gleeson's Colm. Then one day, out of the blue and completely unprovoked, Colm says he doesn't want to be friends anymore, instead focusing on his musical career and hoping to make a name for himself that'll last long after he dies. Padriac doesn't understand this and continually bugs Colm until he offers a bloody ultimatum, which only spurns Padriac to showcase his own bad side. Featuring an awards-worthy cast including Farrell and Gleeson as well as Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan, "The Banshees of Inisherin" will leave an indelible imprint on your soul as you ponder yourself how you treat others.

#3

The Whale

Brendan Fraser returns to the big screen in a big way in Darren Aronofsky's "The Whale," where he plays Charlie, an obese man stuck in his small apartment as he teaches English through Zoom calls, meanwhile trying to reconnect with his estranged rebellious daughter. Knowing his time is nearly over, Charlie's determination to prove that he's done one good thing with his life is palpable, and Fraser channels all the evil things that has happened to him in life into the role, and truly gives a once-in-a-lifetime performance. Hong Chau, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins and Samantha Morton also command the stage in a tale that'll make you appreciate the small things in life, as well as those who share your experiences.

#2

Top Gun: Maverick

"Top Gun: Maverick" proves that, over thirty years after the original, audiences still had the need for speed. Tom Cruise returns as Maverick as he trains a new group of recruits as they prepare for a seemingly impossible mission, and due to Cruise's insane ability to perform his own stunts - as well as relying on good old fashioned effects instead of cheaply done CGI - "Maverick" outperformed even the highest expectations, giving Cruise his most successful film to date as well as launching it into the billionaires' club in Mach speed. Thrilling, exciting, fast paced, and featuring one-of-a-kind filming inside the cockpits as the actors actually flew their own planes, "Maverick" has everything you need not just for a summer popcorn blockbuster but a strong character study on the topics of death, forgiveness, and resilience.

AND NOW MY FAVORITE FILM OF 2022...

A FILM THAT ALSO PROPELLED ITS WAY INTO MY TOP FIVE FAVORITE FILMS OF ALL TIME...

#1

Morbius

Jared Leto's performance as the Living Vampire Michael Morbius is one of superhero's best performances to date, giving both an intense feel to the role as well as a deeply committed performance that parallels anything seen on screen in the last hundred years. Forget "The Dark Knight," "Morbius" clearly is the best superhero movie ever made, with jaw-dropping effects, an Oscar-worthy storyline, and an eager anticipation for "Morbius 2: It's Morbin Time."

JUST KIDDING!
(ABOUT MORBIUS BEING #1, NOT WITH THE ACTUAL #1 BEING ONE OF MY TOP FIVE FAVORITE FILMS OF ALL TIME)

#1

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Living up to its title, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" has it all - action, drama, comedy, horror...it's the pitch perfect movie in every way. Michelle Yeoh finally gets her due as Evelyn Wang, a mild-mannered, unimpressive laundromat owner who finds herself under audit, but then suddenly finds herself as the savior of not just her world, but the multiverse as well. Channeling her other iterations (which are far more successful and talented than she is), Evelyn battles the evil Jobu Tupaki, who seeks to end all universes. More than a multiversal hopping action spectacle, "EEAAO" is also a nihilistic film that points out the vainglory of everything, but also offering hope for the future with a deeply emotional family drama as Evelyn tries to reconcile with her own daughter, who holds the key to saving the multiverse. Yeoh is already a frontrunner for Oscar gold, and her co-stars Ke Huy Quan (making his spectacular return to the big screen after "Indiana Jones"), Stephanie Tsu, and Jamie Lee Curtis are also strong contenders for their own Oscar nominations in this wild, wacky, and deeply emotional film that you'll never forget.