2022 has been a good year for movies, with some standout hits that will be worth watching again.
Around this time of the year, viewers are gearing up for many releases primed for award-season attention. Studios are saving some of their best films for the tail end of the year, hoping to attract members of the Academy to vote for their films for Oscar nominations.
However, 2022 has seen a few great releases over the course of its first nine months. There has been something for everybody at the theater, including superhero movies, surprising hits, and some great streaming releases. So far, 2022 has been an impressive year for movie releases.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness finds Stephen Strange helping America Chavez, a young woman who has the ability to travel between multiverses. This pits Strange against the Scarlet Witch as he goes on a multiverse journey to help Chavez.
The film put the MCU squarely into the multiverse like never before and had some memorable moments. The Illuminati appeared, including John Krasinski as Reed Richards and Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier, and fans got to see multiple versions of Strange himself. The multiverse now takes center stage in the MCU for Phases 4-6, dubbed "The Multiverse Saga."
Top Gun: Maverick came this year, 36 years after the original Top Gun. The film follows Maverick Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise once again, as he returns to teach a new group of Top Gun graduates. The film co-stars Miles Teller, John Hamm, and Val Kilmer.
The film shattered expectations, grossing $1.48 billion worldwide. It is now the sixth-highest grossing domestic release, impressively overtaking Avengers: Infinity War, and is by far the highest-grossing film of Tom Cruise’s career. In addition, the film remained in the top 5 for a staggering 11 weeks after its release.
Smile is a horror film that has been a surprise hit. Dr. Rose Cotter witnesses a traumatic event and begins to have unexplained occurrences invade her life. It turns out that it is a demon that takes the form of a person smiling.
Smile was originally intended to be a streaming release only on Paramount+, but it has become an extremely profitable release for the studio. It has now made over $100 million against a budget of $17 million. Not bad for a film intended for a steaming release.
Director Matt Reeves ushered in a new era of Batman with the release of The Batman. Robert Pattinson takes over the cape and cowl and finds Batman going head to head with the Riddler (Paul Dano), a serial killer playing a deadly game in Gotham City.
The film was received positively by fans and critics alike, with many praising Pattinson’s performance and the supporting cast. Zoë Kravitz costars as Selina Kyle/Catwoman and Colin Ferrell as Oswald Cobblepot/the Penguin. Reeves is hard at work on a sequel to the film, and the film is spawning a shared universe of projects on HBO Max.
Doctor Strange was not the only one to go on a multiversal adventure this year. Michelle Yeoh starred in Everything Everywhere All At Once as Evelyn, a laundromat owner who the IRS is auditing. She comes into universe-jumping technology that sends her on a wild journey to save the world by traveling to different universes.
The unique film was a surprise hit for A24, with lots of praise for Yeoh's performance, with many calling it the best of her career. Some are even hoping to keep the film's momentum going into awards season, looking for Yeoh to be nominated for an Academy Award.
Prey is the latest entry in the Predator franchise, released on Hulu. The story takes place in 1719 and finds Naru, a young woman of the Comanche tribe, facing off against one of the first Predators to ever encounter Earth. The Predator features more primitive technology than the futuristic ones viewers have seen in previous films.
Prey was well-received by fans and critics alike. It was a much-needed shot in the arm for the franchise, as some of the latest outings, Predators and The Predator, were received poorly and could not rise to the success of the original Predator. Follow-ups to the film, either a sequel or prequel, are currently being discussed.
Nope was the latest entry to writer/director Jordan Peele's impressive filmmaking career. Nope stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer as siblings who attempt to get evidence of UFOs after strange happenings around their recently-deceased father's ranch.
While it does not quite reach the heights of Peele's previous films, Get Out and Us, Nope is certainly a great film in its own right with a unique premise. As with Peele's other films, the themes explored in the movie, along with its twists and turns, lead to different interpretations for viewers long after viewing.
Turning Red finds 13-year-old Mei longing for nothing more than attending a boy band concert with her best friends. Her only problem? A hereditary curse turns her into a giant red panda whenever she has strong emotions. Not great for a young girl beginning middle school.
The latest Pixar project was meant to have a theatrical release, but was changed to a Disney+ release due to the pandemic. Regardless, the film has found much success and was the most-watched streaming program in the world during the first week of its release.
The Woman King follows the true story of the Agojie, an all-female group of warriors that protected the African kingdom of Dahomey in the 1820s. Starring Viola Davis as General Nanisca, Nanisca looks to train the next generation of warriors to protect the kingdom.
Most of the film's praise came for its cast, particularly Davis, who shines in the role, and its impressive battle sequences. It surprised with a solid opening weekend of $19 million, which was good for the top of the box office list. Holding a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and impressive word of mouth has given the film legs in the following weekends.
The Northman stars Alexander Skarsgård as Amleth, a Viking prince looking to avenge the murder of his father. The film boasts an impressive cast, including Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, and Willem Dafoe.
The film did not perform well at the box office. Instead, much of its success came from the home release. Impressively, the DVD/Blu-ray sales topped films that had a much better box office showing. In addition, critics praised Skarsgård's performance as Amleth and the film's production value.
David Giatras is a storyteller, freelance videographer & writer, and aspiring filmmaker, where he provides commentary and insights on today’s most notable films and television series.
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