10. ‘TÁR’ – Todd Field

Lydia Tár conducting Mahler’s Symphony No. 5

‘Tar’ directed by Todd Field, October 28, 2022

Cate Blanchett’s performance as Lydia Tár feels like a real person, not just a character. Throughout the 2h 38m runtime, the viewer uncovers pieces of a dark secret in her past. Tár is an acclaimed classical composer, considered one of the greatest of her time after becoming the first female chief conductor of a major German orchestra. She is unbelievably successful in her craft, but someone with her level of status must balance a lot of responsibilities. Tár begins to lose sight of her personal life and the way she treats those around her. ‘Tár’ is a complex look at an artist and the power gained through success. The film is expertly crafted from a story and character perspective, with fantastic camerawork that makes it visually interesting. At times the film drags, but the ending makes sticking out the slow-moving sections worthwhile. 

9. ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ – Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson

Geppetto cutting down Pinocchio’s nose after he lied many times

‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, 

December 9, 2022

This year saw multiple adaptations of the classic Pinocchio tale, but none came close to Guillermo del Toro’s masterful stop-motion vision. The film takes a spin on the traditional Disney story by setting the tale in the era of Mussolini’s war-torn Italy. The setting makes for a darker take on the story, but it maintains a ton of heart, due in part to the craft of stop motion. The film took over 1,000 days to complete, and each scene feels intentional in portraying the relationship between a grieving Geppetto and optimistic Pinocchio. Through a magical and emotional journey, they ultimately become a true father and son. 

(Cate Blanchette not only played Lydia Tár this year, but a stop-motion circus monkey named Spazzatura in Pinocchio. Great year for her.)

8. ‘The Northman’ – Robert Eggers 

Amleth during a brutal fight, on his path to seek revenge

‘The Northman’ directed by Robert Eggers, April 22, 2022 

Robert Eggers is one of the most exciting filmmakers to emerge in recent years. His debut, ‘The Witch,’ was refreshing for the horror genre, and his following film, ‘The Lighthouse,’ is widely considered to be one of the best horror films in decades. ‘The Northman’ is a change of genres for Eggers, but is one of his signature historical stories. The epic Viking revenge story balances the absurd and the awesome perfectly, avoiding the possibility of boredom with violent, loud and beautifully shot action. Eggers puts intense effort into getting the details of the eras he works on right, making his work feel lived in. Despite performing poorly at the box office, ‘The Northman’ stands as proof of the power of the independent blockbuster — a trend I hope to see continue.

7. ‘Nope’ – Jordan Peele

OJ on horseback, looking up at the mysterious alien terrorizing California

‘Nope’ directed by Jordan Peele, July 22, 2022 

Another exciting filmmaker of the early 2020s is Jordan Peele. His debut film ‘Get Out’ took the world by storm in 2017, and his sophomore film, ‘Us’, was similarly well received. ‘Nope’ is his most ambitious film yet, and arguably his best. Peele pays homage to the classic UFO stories and blockbusters of the likes of Steven Spielberg, while also taking a spin on traditional film design and structure. Peele balances humor and horror exceptionally well, making for a very entertaining and terrifying experience. Throughout his filmography, Peele intertwines themes of race, power and class leaving audiences contemplating what lies below the surface of his films. In ‘Nope’, Peele provides commentary on the overarching theme of exploitation in the film industry.

6. ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ – Joseph Kosinski

Maverick training his team to prepare for the special mission

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ directed by Joseph Kosinski, January 24, 2023 

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged every facet of life, including the film industry. Film releases were pushed back, production was halted and theaters suffered dwindling attendance. The film that drew audiences back to the cinema was none other than ‘Top Gun: Maverick’. It is hard to believe a sequel to a 36 year old film was this successful and well-made, but ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ arguably surpassed its original. 

Tom Cruise has cemented himself as one of Hollywood’s greatest action stars by bringing a high-level of dedication to every project he takes on. The stunt work alone, doubled with the fact that the actors filmed in real planes, is incredible and makes the film have larger stakes and believability. Not only is the action fantastic, notably in the stellar third act, but the relationship between Maverick and Rooster is well-developed and touching. ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is truly a perfect summer movie. 

5. ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ – The Daniels (Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan) 

Evelyn, Joy and Waymond in their multiversal adventure

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ directed by The Daniels, April 8, 2022

A film so strange, inventive and absurd being a front-runner for Best Picture is not typical for The Academy, so it speaks to how special Everything Everywhere All at Once is. The film follows a Chinese immigrant family struggling to make ends meet and navigate their relationships with each other. Evelyn (played by Michelle Yeoh) gets swept up in a multiverse adventure where she connects with other versions of herself to save it. The action will certainly have you bound in moments of disbelief, culminating in a fantastic third act, with arguably one of the most beautiful scenes in a film. The scene quickly goes through dozens of backdrops behind Yeoh portraying different multiverses, including her as an alien, a painting and a grape. 

No review of the film would be complete without mention of the loveable Ke Huy Quan as Waymond, whose character teaches the audience to be the hero of their own universe. Quan was a child actor in the 1980s, but struggled to find opportunities as an adult due to anti-Asian sentiment in the film industry. Years after his retirement from the screen, Quan found a role that spoke to him, and he gave an Oscar-caliber supporting actor performance. 

In one of the most noteworthy scenes, Evelyn finds the success she longs for in another universe. In a chance encounter between Evelyn and Waymond, Waymond delivers the most iconic line of the film: “In another life, I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you,” in reference to their mundane life in their primary universe.

4. ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ – Edward Berger

Paul in the middle of the brutal World War I

‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ directed by Edward Berger, October 14, 2022

In my opinion, the 2022 version of ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ is the best war film since ‘Saving Private Ryan’. The original 1930 film is a classic and holds up well to today’s standards, but the 2022 version breathes new life into the original. Traditionally, Hollywood World War I films are centered around the American perspective, but this story is told from the perspective of a German soldier. The main protagonist, Paul, and the supporting characters Kat and Albert enlist in the German army, inspired by the romanticism around the war and tempted by the status they could achieve. However, facing the horrors of one of the worst wars in human history, they quickly find they are not fighting for what they believed. The depiction of World War I is brutal and pulls no punches, with horrifying imagery and realism. The film is a technical achievement, from the makeup work to production design. ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ is undeniably a difficult watch, but it is a fantastic anti-war film that shows there are only victims in war — never winners. 

3. ‘The Fabelmans’ – Steven Spielberg

Sammy Fabelman shooting a short film for his high school at the beach

‘The Fabelmans’ directed by Steven Spielberg, November 15, 2022

Steven Spielberg is among the most acclaimed directors of all time, and at the age of 76, he is still making incredible films. ‘The Fabelmans’ is a semi-autobiographical story about how he grew into a filmmaker. Instead of coming off as self-indulgent, it is remarkably honest. Spielberg doesn’t shy away from his relationship with his parents and their divorce, as well as the torment he received in high school for being Jewish. It takes exceptional courage to cast one’s life in the public eye, so I greatly respect Spielberg for his authenticity. The way Spielberg portrayed the magic of the movies is captivating, and resonates with aspiring filmmakers and movie lovers alike. The cast also shines in their complex roles based on Spielberg’s family. The film is an authentic look at a legend of the art form and the beauty of film. 

2. ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ – Martin McDonagh

Pàdric confronting Colm on why he no longer wants to be friends

‘The Banshees of Insisherin’ directed by Martin McDonagh, July 25, 2022

‘Banshees of Inisherin’ is a masterfully crafted film. The plot is simple — centered around two lifelong friends who have a falling out, seemingly out of the blue. The film takes a dark turn due to the lengths the former friend goes to end the friendship. As a dark comedy, Banshees of Inisherin exceptionally balances humor and painful truths. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson carry the weight of the story and are both terrific, bonded by their previous work together in one of McDonagh’s earlier films, ‘In Bruges’. 

With credit to the actors, the real MVP is undoubtedly Jenny the Donkey. The trained donkey provides comfort to Farrell’s character during a hard time in his life. 

Hidden beneath the simple plot are layer after layer of emotional truths and deeper meanings. The characters are set in the backdrop of the Irish Civil War, perhaps a visual and historical metaphor for the friend’s falling out. Themes of isolation are layered throughout, and an otherwise typical falling out is heightened due to the small population of the island. ‘Banshees of Inisherin’ is a highly anticipated front-runner for the Best Picture, and I would be in agreement with its potential win.

1. ‘The Batman’ – Matt Reeves 

Batman tries to put the pieces together of the Riddler’s puzzle

‘The Batman’ directed by Matt Reeves, March 2, 2022

2022 was a disappointing year for the superhero genre. Marvel saw one of its worst outputs in recent memory with lackluster films – outside of ‘Wakanda Forever’ – while DC’s universe imploded after the release of ‘Black Adam’. However, ‘The Batman’ gave audiences the superhero film we’d been waiting for. 

Reeves took Batman in a detective direction unlike any previous iteration, and set the film in a Gotham that has never felt so detailed. With the perfect amount of darkness and noir feel, Reeve’s ‘The Batman’ has an unprecedented edge. Robert Pattinson delivered as the brooding Batman and earned his place as my favorite on-screen Batman to date. He nails the voice and look, and he is quiet yet menacing. The rest of the cast shines as well, especially Paul Dano as The Riddler, who hones in as a quiet serial killer. 

A lot of superhero films lack great cinematography and writing, but ‘The Batman’ has it. Despite a near 3 hour runtime, I was left wanting more. I cannot wait to see more of what Reeves and Pattinson do with the character, and I hope DC will let their vision continue. 

Edited by Scout Hudson | shudson@themaneater.com