2022 Bleeding Cool Best Films Of 2022- Jeremy Edition

2022 was a better year for films than many are giving it credit for, and they were spread out throughout the year, as both blockbusters and awards films have been coming out all year long. As my film colleague Kaitlyn Booth recently pointed out, awards season is all year, and thanks to streaming, films can stay in the public consciousness for a full year. For my top ten of the year, though, every film that made it was one I enjoyed in the theater, except for one. That is still the best way to see a film, and for me, that will never change. All of these films affected me long after the lights came up, and some are still challenging me. This is in no particular order, except my favorite film of the year, and spoiler: it’s Babylon. read on for the rest of the list.

2022 Bleeding Cool Best Of 2022 Films

Honorable Mentions: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story, The Black Phone, The Batman, Pearl, Top Gun: Maverick, The Woman King, Women Talking, Triangle Of Sadness.

The Banshees of Inisherin

Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson need to just keep making a film together every ten years or so. The way they play off each other in this film is such a delight, even as they have some of the most depressing and melancholy conversations in any film this year. It is also gorgeous to watch, and one of the best settings of the year as well.

Prey

When they announced that 2022 would see the return of Predator, and that they had filmed the new movie in secret, the red flags went up. Even more so when it was announced it was going straight to Hulu. But this expertly crafted action film showed the blueprint for what to do with a tired franchise and re-conceptualize it. Amber Midthunder gave us an iconic hero for the ages and became a star in front of our eyes. More of this, please.

The Fabelmans

As I left the theater after viewing The Fabelmans, I hated it. Well, not hated, but strongly disliked. But the more days that went by, I found my mind drifting back to it, and the performances of Michelle Williams and Gabriel LaBelle, and realized how masterful a job Steven Spielberg had done crafting what is perhaps the most personal film in his career. The sheen of viewing the story as if we were living it with the characters through their own flawed memories was genius, and this became one I will revisit often.

Everything Everywhere All At Once

One of the best of the year came out near the beginning of the year, as 2022’s best multiverse film was from A24, not Marvel Studios. What else is there to say about this superb piece of cinema that hasn’t been said already? If you haven’t seen it yet, what are you waiting for?

Bones and All

This is the film that has stuck with me since the day I watched it. Luca Guadagnino directed the hell out of it and made the ’80s midwest look like the most beautiful place on Earth. Both leads, Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet, are excellent, and Mark Rylance almost stole the whole film out from under them. Gory, heartbreaking, and a joy to watch, even as the material stays depressing.

Barbarian

Was there a moment more shocking than the one where Barbarian turns on a dime halfway through? I say no, and that is all I will say about this one, since the less you know going in the better. This was the most fun I had with a film this year, and time will be kind to it. Some say that once you know what’s happening, it loses something on a second watch, but I disagree, I noticed even more the second time. Destined to be one of 2022’s most well-remembered films.

Three Thousand Years Of Longing

While I can understand those that did not enjoy George Miller‘s latest, I found it to be an emotional ride I was not prepared for. The ride he takes us on as we learn the steps that led Idris Elba‘s Djinn to the bottle in the possession of  Tilda Swinton is beautifully told, even if I still disliked the last twenty minutes. That is how good what preceded it was.

X

Most prefer Pearl to this one, but I think Pearl is more about Mia Goth‘s performance than the film itself, and I liked X as a film more. Either one is a great pick, as Ti West continues to prove that when he steps behind a camera, gory magic will follow.

The Menu

A perfect satire of the obscenely wealthy, The Menu was one of the sneaky good ones of 2022. This is one of the sharpest scripts of the year, and a dark horse in that category for the Oscar. Our leads, Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult clash and go at each other with enthusiasm, and Ralph Fiennes does some of his best work in years as the chef. Another that will be well-loved as the years go by.

Babylon

But the best film of the year, and one that people will scratch their heads and wonder what all the discourse was about, is Babylon, Damien Chazelle‘s love letter to old Hollywood. A decadent, thrilling, and emotional journey of three-plus hours. Margot Robbie has never been better, Brad Pitt has never been more self-aware, and Diego Calva is a star in the making. Chazelle is batting 1.000 now, and his films have become ones to wait for with bated breath. In five years, be ready for all of the “Was Babylon really good?” articles everywhere.