If there’s one hill I will perpetually die on, it’s this: 2019 was the year for film. Movies like The Irishman (Scorsese), Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood (Tarantino), Jojo Rabbit (Waititi), The Avengers: Endgame (Russo Brothers), and Marriage Story (Baumbach), among a host of others, proved one of the best release years of the decade.
Twenty Twenty-Two is not like that year—not even close. But after a two-year drought (largely thanks to the COVID-19 Pandemic), this year was a solid return to the joy of cinema. Cinephiles and general movie fans were reminded that the cushions at the theater are still as welcoming and exciting as those we’ve come used to on our couch.
Before we begin, a primer: these are my picks for the top 10 films of the year. These films have been chosen based on filmography and other cinematic factors as well as meaning, message, reception, etc.
This list is influenced by my personal beliefs and preferences in film. I will list honorable mentions as well as massive, well-received films that I simply didn’t have time to watch, and therefore didn’t make it in my picks.
Without further adieu, here are my top picks for the year:
10. The Outfit (dir. Graham Moore)
This film is a happy blend between Alfred Hitchcock-era filmmaking and Martin Scorsese mobster movies. The Outfit is one of those standout movies for one major reason that brings beauty to every other facet: it’s a single-location film. There have been great single-location films in the past (Hitchcock’s Rear Window being the most notable), and this one manages to use the quaint setting of a tailor’s shop to bring intensity and claustrophobia at the best times.
Mark Rylance incredibly portrays a pleasant old tailor with a dark past he’d like to leave there. The story unfolds in dramatic fashion while maintaining brevity: The Outfit is less than two hours, but feels slow and dramatic by virtue of its setting and major developments. It’s got guns, mystery, drama, and emotion, making it a worthy contender among the year’s best works.
9. The Northman (dir. Robert Eggers)
Director Robert Eggers has an impressive filmography, scant as it may be. The Witch and The Lighthouse (the latter of which I gave high praise for) were fantastic horror-thriller films, both produced by A24. For Eggers’ third work, he wanted to tell a tale of the Northman on a much larger scale.
The Northman is a fantastic box-office flop: I wrote a lengthy review of it and enjoyed it very much. At times, it felt like it couldn’t fill the massive shoes it tried to; overall, however, it was a successful, brutal Viking tale that was well-acted by Ethan Hawke, Alexander Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe, and Nicole Kidman. Eggers maintains his own bent for historical realism and accuracy with weird, indie filmmaking on the big screen. As far as I’m concerned, he’s three-for-three.
8. The Black Phone (dir. Scott Derrickson)
Scott Derrickson, whose prior directorial appearance was for Doctor Strange, returns to the horror-thriller genre—he mastered it with Sinister a decade earlier—and felt right at home. Far from his traditional horror style is The Black Phone, a haunting story of kidnapping with the hope of escaping by a supernatural survival guide.
Mason Thames, Madelyn McGraw, and Ethan Hawke put on stellar performances in this joyride of a thriller. It’s highly original, consistently creepy (the variety of masks, man), and has a triumphant ending. If you want a masterclass in “fun horror,” look no further than The Black Phone.
7. Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood (dir. Richard Linklater)
Jack Black narrates something that isn’t Kung Fu Panda.
As the only animated film to make my top-10 list, Apollo 10 1/2 is a heartfelt, nostalgic, and original adventure. It’s a glimpse into “the Space Age” of NASA and a startling survey of family and public life in the 1960’s—all through the lens of an adolescent, curious kid.
This slightly exaggerated story is bursting with meaning and sentiment. It’s easy and rewarding to get attached to these characters and their story. Not to mention, the animation isn’t Pixar-esque; it’s quite refreshing and original.
6. The Batman (dir. Matt Reeves)
When I saw the announcement that Robert Pattinson would play the next Batman, I was thoroughly disappointed. Then, March came around, and I sat in amazement through nearly three hours of stellar execution and a fantastic Batman: Detective and Batman: Year One homage.
The soundtrack is stunning. The Batman (read my full review) pulls no punches as a grim crime story surveying the underbelly of crime-life in Gotham City. It’s not what we deserved, but it’s the Batman movie we all needed.
5. Smile (dir. Parker Finn)
Smile was one of my favorite horror films of the year. It was incredibly original, consistent, and true to the “rules” that the story set up. The film is unrelentingly bleak and in the end, all-out horror.
Yet, I was able to find Christian themes about the human will and hope for the future in my review of this deep, dark film for Christ & Pop Culture. Smile is well-acted and almost perfectly written. Not to mention, it does what the horror genre does best: it takes something harmless—even good—and twists it into something scary. An all-around frightening and fun experience that was so well-written, I couldn’t help but grin.
4. Nope (dir. Jordan Peele)
Another director to go three-for-three is Jordan Peele. His former films, Get Out (2017) and Us (2019) are haunting, laced with deep messaging, and NOPE is no different. Reviving the summer horror vibes that Jaws (1975) brought and taking frights to the great beyond, Peele’s highly-original horror film captures the mystery of extra-terrestrial and animal life.
It has some deep themes on “The Spectacle of Danger,” which I wrote about in one of my favorite film reviews of the year. It’s also got true horror in every scene with Gordy (if you know, you know). NOPE is fun, scary, and adventurous—worthy of awards for acting and screenwriting.
3. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (dir. Rian Johnson)
It’s no secret that Knives Out is one of my favorite movies of all time. Rian Johnson directed a fun, twisting, suspenseful whodunnit mystery in 2019, and returns to bring the same fun and mystery with Glass Onion.
While I will always prefer the original to its sequel, Glass Onion was a great follow-up which avoided the Death on the Nile flop. It still endeavors to reckon with the virtues of truth, justice, and peace, which are fundamental to the Christian life (see my previous review). With the sequel being well-received and highly praised, it’s safe to say that when Rian Johnson makes a whodunnit, I’ll be planting myself in the theater to find out “who.”
2. The Banshees of Inisherin (dir. Martin McDonagh)
What could be so meaningful about a man and his donkey? Well, I wasn’t quite sure until The Banshees of Inisherin knocked me off my feet. (I’ve got an essay on its meaningful messaging and a personal story in the works. Be on the lookout for it if publishers accept!) The simple, quaint feeling of a dramatic end to a friendship becomes the island of Inisherin’s biggest problem—Colm’s “despair” and the war across the water seems to pour on to the burden of sorrow.
Colin Farrell may have given the performance of his career in Banshees, and he was Penguin in The Batman this year! The difference in acting and makeup are astonishing; I kept asking myself how they were both played by the same person. Overall, The Banshees of Inisherin is the perfect balance of humor and depth, darkness and beauty, meaning and boredom. It’s real-life storytelling at its finest.
1. Everything Everywhere All At Once (dir. Daniels)
Who would’ve thought that a movie about a family just trying to do their taxes would become so popular and highly favored? The Daniels managed to write and direct a multiverse film that flies in the face of all Marvel has done thus far. It’s real, raw, genuinely hilarious, and consistent.
Sure, when I saw Swiss Army Man (2016), I thought, “wow I’ve never seen anything like this.” But that didn’t make it my top film of the year. I truly have not seen anything like Everything Everywhere All At Once, and it’s still one of the most sentimental and heartfelt films of the year. It definitely has one of the best line deliveries of the year. Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan’s performances were impeccable; Stephanie Hsu’s breakout performance was award-worthy.
I’m genuinely harsh with ratings, but it managed to be one of the six movies I’ve ever given a perfect score to. (Here’s my full review.) It deserves to land among greats such as The Irishman, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003), and Hereditary (2018).
Honorable Mentions
TÁR; Top Gun: Maverick; Prey; Werewolf by Night; Men;
Films I Haven’t Seen (Yet)
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio; The Fabelmans; The Whale; Triangle of Sadness; Avatar: The Way of Water; Aftersun.
I watched more than 100 films this year and still couldn’t get to all of the “big” ones. Please don’t strip me of my film credibility just yet; I promise I’ll get around to them and review many of them for you!
Looking Back, Looking Forward
Twenty Twenty-Two had some phenomenal films! I’m very excited for the next year in cinema (especially Oppenheimer) and even more elated that you’ve joined me on this journey.
Thanks for reading; see you next year!
I have only seen one movie, The Glass Onion on this list. I've got some catching up to do! Thanks!