2022 was a great year for film and television. Marvel finally relinquished its power over the blockbuster scene, with sequels to Top Gun and Avatar dominating both box office and critical reception. In television, it was the year of high fantasy with The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon airing at the same time, and Andor sneakily rose up to become the best Disney+ original show. As with every year, it feels as though I'll never get around to watching every thing I wanted to from the year (it still feels like I'm catching up with things from 2020!) but I thought it would be nice to note down what my favourites are at the moment:
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Movies - First Time Watches
The Rescue (2021)
Tremors (1990)
West Side Story (2021)
Finch (2021)
Coda (2021)
C'mon C'mon (2021)
Doubt (2008)
Scream franchise (1996-)
Ready or Not (2019)
Red Eye (2005)
Memories of Murder (2003)
The Way Back (2020)
The Guest (2014)
Inglorious Basterds (2009)
Movies - 2022 releases (UK release dates)
*Still to watch: Aftersun, Triangle of Sadness, The Outfit, Jurassic World: Dominion, Elvis, The Northman, The Woman King, Decision To Leave, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Worst Person in the World, Bones and All, Babylon, Licorice Pizza, The Menu
Honourable mentions: Dr Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness, GDT's Pinocchio, The Wonder, Scream (2022), The Sea Beast, Fresh, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (and its incredible teaser trailer), Thirteen Lives
10) Boiling Point
Led by Stephen Graham, Boiling Point is filmed in a single shot to capture the intensity, chaos and interpersonal drama between the staff in a popular restaurant. It's hard to look away as the tension builds and builds throughout the film until things reach a, well, boiling point. One of the best independent films of recent years.
[Available on Netflix]
9) Prey
Director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) brings a fresh new take to the Predator franchise, set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago. Amber Midthunder plays the best action protagonist of the year, and watching her outsmart the Predator is thrilling. This is a tight science-fiction action that rivals the original.
[Available on Disney+]
8) Glass Onion
Director/writer Rian Johnson returns with the follow-up to 2019's delightful Knives Out. Just like before, we have a gorgeous location, cast of horrible rich people, sharply written twists and turns and a biting commentary on modern internet and societal culture. I would be more than happy to see a dozen Benoit Blanc mysteries if they're this fun.
[Available on Netflix]
7) After Yang
After Yang is an introspective, beautiful science-fiction film that explores the beauty of humanity through the impact that Yang, an android companion to a young girl, has on his human family. Featuring brilliant performances, it also has one of the absolute best opening credit sequences ever.
[Available on Sky Cinema/Now]
6) Top Gun: Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick is the rare sequel that not only equals the original, but surpasses it. In true Tom Cruise fashion, the actors really did learn how to fly jets and alongside Joseph Kosinski's slick directing, the film delivers thrilling action sequences that were a blast to watch in the cinema. More than that, it was fantastic to see a truly sincere, 'old fashioned' blockbuster - and, judging by its insane box office performance- it was exactly what audiences were craving.
[Available on Paramount+... if anyone actually has it]
5) Everything Everywhere All At Once
One of the most original movies to come out in the last decade, and also one of the most mind-blowing examples of an indie film stretching every penny of its budget to produce a silly, genius, subversive, thoughtful and emotional exploration of nihilism, generational trauma and... hot dog fingers. Hollywood finally woke up and gave Michelle Yeoh the leading role she deserves, and she gives an incredible performance. People will be talking about this film for years to come.
[Available on Amazon Prime]
4) The Banshees of Inisherin
The Banshees of Inisherin proves that 2022 was the year of Colin Farrell what with this film, After Yang and the next entry on this list. He delivers a career best performance as a man whose best friend suddenly decides to end their lifelong friendship without explanation. As well as being a genuinely funny black comedy, writer/director Martin McDonagh explores artistic success, loneliness and pointless violence.
[Available on Disney+]
3) The Batman
Matt Reeves' (War for the Planet of the Apes, Cloverfield) take on Batman is a gripping, beautifully shot, atmospheric mystery noir. The entire cast is brilliant, particularly Robert Pattinson, but the real star of the show is Michael Giacchino's incredible score. The best comic book movie of the year by far.
[Available on Sky Cinema/NOW]
2) Avatar: The Way of Water
A step up from the original Avatar in every way, The Way of Water is probably the best theatrical experience you will have in a year full of fantastic theatrical movies. Despite being three hours long, its worldbuilding is so sweeping that I can see myself going back to watch it again.
[In cinemas now]
1) Nope
Jordan Peele created a film that feels made for me, drawing inspiration from movies like Signs, Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind while telling a wholly original story layered with fascinating themes of spectacle, entertainment and nature. Peele's core concept of "starting with Close Encounters but realising we're in Jaws" is just fantastic, and some of the horror set pieces will go down as all timers.
2022 TV Shows
*Before the first entry, a special shout out to The Traitors (UK) for being one of the only reality TV shows that has ever captured my attention - the finale in particular was a great bit of television*
13) All of Us Are Dead S1 (Netflix)
Though it doesn't quite stick the ending, the depiction of the start of a zombie outbreak in All of Us Are Dead is riotously good fun, and setting the events in a school is a stroke of brilliance both for how the showrunners utilise the environment and the interpersonal drama between the students.
12) His Dark Materials (HBO/BBC)
A satisfying conclusion to the adaptation of Phillip Pullman's trilogy of the same name. It was great to see this story come to life, and the ending in particular was beautifully adapted.
11) The White Lotus S2 (HBO/Sky)
The White Lotus S2 may not hold up against the brilliance of the first, but it was so fun watching this week to week. No other show captures underlying tension in conversation in quite the same way, and Aubrey Plaza gives a fantastic performance.
10) Ghosts S4 (BBC)
Quickly growing to be one of my all time favourite comedies, it's always such a delight to have a new season of Ghosts, which comes from the team behind Horrible Histories.
9) Pachinko (Apple+)
Pachinko is a beautifully told drama that centers around four generations of one Korean family. It's one of the best acted shows of the year, and a very emotional portrayal of the hardships that immigrants face and the toll it takes on future generations. Minha Kim's central performace has not been recognised enough during awards season.
8) 1899 (Netflix)
As I write this, I have just heard that Netflix has cancelled this show after just one season. This is massively disappointing because 1899 has a deeply compelling, mind-bending mystery at its center and one that the writers have clearly mapped out beyond this first season. Even so, it's worth watching 1899 for its international cast, eerie atmosphere and mystery box style storytelling.
7) The Boys S3 (Amazon Prime)
The Boys continues to be one of the most entertaining shows on television. It's ridiculous, disgusting and flat-out weird, but it also has its finger on the pulse of pop culture like few others shows and features a sharply written and scathing critique of politics and entertainment. Anthony Starr's Homelander is one of the best TV antagonists of all time.
6) The Rings of Power (Amazon Prime)
Amazon's behemoth prequel to The Lord of the Rings stories is possibly the most beautiful fantasy show I have ever seen. There are certain sequences in this that are breath-takingly stunning (the first glimpse of Valinor and Numenor stand out) and Bear McCreary's score is instantly one of my all-time favourites. More than its technical brilliance, it is just wonderful to go back to this world's warmth through its focus on friendship and the classical exploration of good and evil. Morfydd Clark gives a star-turning performance as Galadriel.
5) House of the Dragon (HBO/Sky)
Game of Thrones is back, baby! And it's good! The first season of House of the Dragon jumps around in time more than GoT, but the focus in on a single family (the Targaryens) means we get a fascinating, rich history to the drama between characters. The central tension between Princess Rhaenyra and Queen Alicent is a rich, compelling throughline for what will hopefully be a more satisfying saga than the last.
4) The Bear (Hulu/Disney+)
"Yes, chef!!! Heard, chef!! Hands!!" These have permanently entered my vernacular despite my weak culinary skill. The Bear is one of those shows that I wish I could breeze through five seasons of at once. It captures the frenzy of running a kitchen, but also the toll on mental health that the career takes. Brilliant performances all around, especially by Jeremy Allen White and the episode filmed in one shot is superb.
3) Andor (Disney+)
Andor is so much better than most of Disney+'s other original content, it's a wonder it ever reached our screens. This is the breath of fresh air that Star Wars needed, and Tony Gilroy's writing is sharp and compelling. I am still thinking about moments like 'never more than twelve', Stellan Skarsgard's monologue and the finale's eulogy weeks after watching them.
2) Stranger Things S4 (Netflix)
Amidst declining performance at Netflix, Stranger Things Volume 4 was the shining beacon of hope that captured the pop culture zeitgeist. The anticipation between the two parts, a brilliant villain in Vecna, Max's iconic 'Running Up that Hill' scene and the following record-breaking performance of Kate Bush's song, this season brought about a great return to form for the show. So, this may not be the best bit of television of the year (that Russia subplot is rough) but it may just be the most iconic.
1) Severance (Apple+)
Severance is a show that feels tailor made for me. A compelling mystery box style plot? Check. A shady, sci-fi bureaucratic organisation a la Control? Check. A story that wrings out every bit of tension from its original sci-fi trope? Check.
The slow build in mystery is compelling but also rewards repeat watchers. Adam Scott, Britt Lower and Tramell Tillman give stand-out performances and the finale is one of my favourite episodes of television ever. (If we had to rank these shows by opening credits design, this one would still be first as well!). I cannot wait for the second season because I am absolutely gripped by this mystery.
Honourable mentions: Paper Girls, Moon Knight, Rick and Morty S5, The Sandman, Welcome to Wrexham, Reacher
Most excited for in 2023
The Last of Us (HBO/Sky), The Mandalorian S3 (Disney+), Scream 6, Succession S4, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Oppenheimer, Barbie, Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1, The Marvels, Doctor Who (BBC), Dune: Part 2, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Wonka
Thank you for reading this article - what were your favourites of 2022? And what are you most excited about in 2023 (it's looking like a fantastic year from the release schedule so far)? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or via Instagram or Twitter.
I do not own any of the images used in this post.