My Five Favorite Films of 2022 So Far

We have finally reached the halfway point of the 2022 film year. As the cinema attempts to return to normalcy after the pandemic, films are released rapidly. It was quite difficult to narrow down the list, but I decided to discuss my five favorites thus far. These films certainly won’t be for all audiences,  but each stood out to me for its own reasons. All of them except one are available for streaming now, which means you can watch them at home!

(All Trailers are found through youtube.com and individual film studio channels)

The concept of “the multiverse” has been quite popular in superhero films and television in 2022. “Everything Everywhere All At Once” flips the script by making a multiverse film all about family.  Michelle Yeoh is a revelation as Evelyn Wong, an aging Chinese immigrant who goes on a multiversal adventure. She travels this multiverse by experiencing the different lives that she could have lived. Many would say that the premise sounds “weird” which makes how heartfelt the film is surprising. At its core, the story is about familial love, which makes it a contender for my list. 

Director Robert Eggers has been one of the most interesting filmmakers to watch over recent years. His 2015 film “The Witch'' put him on many people’s radar as a newfound horror icon. Eggers's third feature film, “The Northman,” trades horror for a brutal revenge epic.. There’s a balance in the story's tone that mixes both a nightmare and fantasy, to create something wholly unique. Some will argue that it is a case of style over substance, which I agree with The only difference is that the style is done so well it is hard to ignore. 

Ever since this year’s Sundance International Film Festival, no film has stuck with me like director Koganada’s “After Yang.”  Following a family after the loss of their android companion is surprisingly emotional. What struck me about this one is the profound sense of warmth to the story. It is a disarming tactic that lets the film talk about darker themes like loss and grief. The balance of tones here is tricky but Koganada pulls it off seamlessly. If you are in the mood for a film to make you both think and feel, look no further.

Nothing prepared me for just how much I loved Matt Reeves, ``The Batman.” Instead of another origin story, we are given a version of Batman who has experience in the field. He is only in his second year of crime fighting and not at the level of heroism anyone expects. This story element lets the film be a down-and-dirty crime thriller taking homages to classic gangster films. The finished result does not quite reach the highs of Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight '' trilogy, but crafts something unique. It also proves that Robert Pattinson has solidified himself as the Batman for this generation. 

Satire is something that can be incredibly difficult to accomplish when skewering the entertainment industry. “Official Competition” follows a wealthy businessman who hires a filmmaker (Penélope Cruz) to make a hit film. What follows is a darkly funny analysis of the filmmaking process, which includes two lead actors (Antonio Banderas and Oscar Martinez). The story is loaded with satirical references and playful digs at the industry. These are funny moments, but the reason “Official Competition” gets a spot on my list is for something else. This is a film that deconstructs the human ego in ways that are hilarious and make you think. There are moments that definitely get dark, but all serve as reasons to explore how the ego works. It is the sort of narrative that asks “How far do we go for our own success?”  Being told this way allows for a very thought-provoking comedy.