There has been a good number of quality films that are already out or even coming your way from the year 2022. As of this writing I have turned in my awards list to the Southeastern Film Critic’s Association of which I am a member.
Being a bit picky about what to choose, my main concern is to reach out to you that have always been followers and let you decide whether I chose well or maybe failed in offering the best from your genre. Being some of selections have not arrived on a platform that you usually watch film, you can use this film choice as a guide to upcoming releases as well. I assure you I have seen all the films below plus 140 others this year.
For the top ten I will be providing a short synopses made available by the film studio that made the movie. Most all the films on the list received 5 Stars with the exception of a few. They are listed the best film to the rest in numerical order.
- AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER– Jake Sully (the character in the first Avatar) lives with his newfound family formed on the planet of Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their planet. Amazing cinematography, outstanding acting, perfect directing, exciting action adventurous storyline.
- BABYLON From Damien Chazelle, the film is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, with an ensemble cast including Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li and Jean Smart. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood. Very good cinematography, amazing characters, imaginative directing, exciting and spellbinding plot (warning graphic sexual content)
- THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN Set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, the film follows lifelong friends Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson), who find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship. A stunned Pádraic, aided by his sister Siobhán (Kerry Condon) and troubled young islander Dominic (Barry Keoghan), endeavors to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer. But Pádraic’s repeated efforts only strengthen his former friend’s resolve and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences. Exceptional storyline, outstanding acting, captivating cinematography, direction.
- EMANCIPATION tells the triumphant story of Peter (Will Smith), a man who escapes from slavery, relying on his wits, unwavering faith and deep love for his family to evade cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest for freedom. Gut-wrenching and pervasive storyline, captivating characters, powerful direction
Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy Fabelman in The Fabelmans, co-written, produced and directed by Steven Spielberg. - THE FABELMANS Young Sammy Fabelman falls in love with movies after his parents take him to see “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Armed with a camera, Sammy starts to make his own films at home, much to the delight of his supportive mother. The film stars Gabriel LaBelle as 16-year-old aspiring filmmaker Sammy Fabelman; Michelle Williams as his artistic mother, Mitzi; Paul Dano as his successful, scientific father, Burt; Seth Rogen as Bennie Loewy, Burt’s best friend and honorary “uncle” to the Fabelman children, and Judd Hirsch as Mitzi’s Uncle Boris. Captivating storyline, very good acting, clever direction, comedic, heart warming
- WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING tells the story of Kya, an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when one of them is found dead, she is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. As the case unfolds, the verdict as to what actually happened becomes increasingly unclear, threatening to reveal the many secrets that lay within the marsh. Excellent acting, compelling storyline, believable characters, memorable.
Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, - TOP GUN: MAVERICK Maverick, one of the Navy’s top aviators, finds himself training a detachment of Top Gun graduates for a special mission when he encounters the son of his late friend Goose. Facing an uncertain future, Maverick faces a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it. Energizing, terrific acting, enjoyable plot, outstanding directing
- THE SON follows a family as it struggles to reunite after falling apart. THE SON centers on Peter (Hugh Jackman), whose hectic life with his infant and new partner Beth (Vanessa Kirby) is upended when his ex-wife Kate (Laura Dern) appears with their son Nicholas (Zen McGrath), who is now a teenager. The young man has been missing from school for months and is troubled, distant, and angry. Absorbing plot, excellent acting, believable, heart wrenching, realistic
- EMPIRE OF LIGHT Set in an English seaside town in the early 1980s, EMPIRE OF LIGHT is a powerful and poignant story about human connection and the magic of cinema, from Academy Award®-winning director Sam Mendes. Totally absorbing plot, very good characterization, compelling
- TILL is a profoundly emotional and cinematic film about the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley’s relentless pursuit of justice for her 14 year old son, Emmett Till, who, in 1955, was lynched while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. In Mamie’s poignant journey of grief turned to action, we see the universal power of a mother’s ability to change the world. Very good acting, spellbinding plot, based on a true story, convincing
Please let me know what you think of my film choices and what you would have chosen if different.
Email: Jdelia@acedmagazine.com
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
