Rhiannon Elizabeth Irons
It’s been a remarkable year for cinema. 2022 has given movie audiences a variety of ups and downs. Returns to franchises and legacy sequels dominated early, but the rise of the independent movie took box office by surprise during the spooky season.
Now it’s time for me to shed some light on the best 5, and worst 5, movies of the year. Disclaimer: The views stated in this article are mine and mine alone. You are welcome to disagree with them and sound off in the comments below with your own thoughts regarding the movies released in 2022.
THE BEST
5: Where the Crawdads Sing
Based on the best-selling book of the same name, Where the Crawdads Sing is all about a young woman who has raised herself in the marshes of the deep south who becomes a suspect in the murder of a man she was once involved with.
Beautifully directed by Olivia Newman and adapted to the screen by Lucy Alibar from Delia Owens’ novel, Where the Crawdads Sing stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as the titular marsh girl, Kya Clark, while Taylor John Smith is her companion Tate Walker.
A charming story with lots of heart, incredible performances, and a heart-wrenching soundtrack, Where the Crawdads Sing earned its place among the best of 2022. Have the tissues on standby.
4: Seriously Red
From the mind of Krew Boylan comes a story of a realtor who loses her job and pursues a new career as a Dolly Parton impersonator.
From the direction of Gracie Otto and starring Krew Boylan, Daniel Webber, Rose Byrne, and Celeste Barber, with cameos from Dannii Minogue, Nell Campbell, and Jean Kittson, Seriously Red is a seriously fun time.
I laughed, I cried, I cheered. My faith in a good home-grown Aussie film was restored. The performances from all involved, particularly Boylan and Webber, were exceptional. Instilling into us that it’s never too late to follow your passion, Seriously Red gives audiences a heartfelt story with a banging soundtrack. What more could you want from a feature film?
3: The Batman
When a sadistic serial killer begins murdering key political figures in Gotham, Batman is forced to investigate the city’s hidden corruption and question his family’s involvement.
Robert Patterson took on the mantle of the Dark Knight in the latest adaptation of the Batman franchise and did it convincingly. Matt Reeves was at the helm, donning hats of both writer and director. Zoe Kravitz put her own spin on Selina Kyle while Colin Farrell transformed himself into Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a The Penguin. But it is Paul Dano who did the impossible and gave us a Riddler who is truly terrifying.
The Batman just proved that no matter how much time passes, audiences will always welcome a return to Gotham City.
2: Terrifier 2
After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to the timid town of Miles County where he targets a teenage girl and her younger brother on Halloween night.
Come on! Was there really any doubt that this was going to make the list of best films of 2022? Terrifier 2 has shown the world that independent cinema is where it is at!
Damien Leone upped his game with this highly anticipated sequel while David Howard Thornton reprises his role as the sadistic Art.
With a stellar cast including Lauren LaVera, Casey Hartnett, Kailey Hyman, and Elliot Fullam, and guest appearances by Felissa Rose, Tamara Glynn, and Chris Jericho, Terrifier 2 lays the foundation for future independent horror features.
1: Top Gun: Maverick
Set 30 years after its predecessor, it follows Maverick’s return to Top Gun, where he must confront the ghosts of his past as he trains a group of younger pilots, one of which is the son of his deceased best friend, Goose.
Was there any film bigger than Top Gun: Maverick released this year? I think not. Tom Cruise reprised his role as Maverick while Miles Teller cemented himself as a box office drawcard as Goose’s son, Rooster. Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Jay Ellis, and Monica Barbaro rounded out Maverick’s squad, while Jon Hamm, Charles Parnell, and Ed Harris throw their weight around as the men in charge. But it was the cameo from Val Kilmer, reprising his role as Iceman, that really tugged at the heartstrings.
Filled with nostalgia, this high-octane thrill ride buzzed the box office tower, netting a cool $1.5 billion upon release. After 36 years, we still feel the need for speed. Maverick is back, flying into the Dangerzone, and we’re more than willing to go along for the ride.
THE WORST
5: Jeepers Creepers: Reborn
Forced to travel with her boyfriend, a young soon-to-be mother begins to experience premonitions associated with the urban myth of The Creeper.
Let’s be real. Jeepers Creepers: Reborn was destined to fail from the moment it was announced. It’s nothing against the actors or the filmmakers, but the stigma attached to the original series was always going to follow this movie. If you were going to remake/revamp a franchise, there certainly are better ones to tackle.
Timo Vuorensola was at the helm while writer, Sean-Michael Argo attempted to put a unique spin on diabolical creature of the horror genre. Unfortunately, what once made the Creeper a sinister force had long gone. The copious amounts of poor visual effects were revolting, while the plot was paper thin at best. The lack of budget was obvious, as was the lack of imagination.
Better leave this one on the shelf to rot.
4: Jurassic World: Dominion
Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, Biosyn operatives attempt to track down Maisie Lockwood, while Dr. Ellie Sattler investigates a genetically engineered swarm of giant insects.
Back in 1993, Jurassic Park was revolutionary. Jurassic World (2015) was a smash hit. Unfortunately, its two sequels Jurassic World : Fallen Kingdom (2018) and this disaster all but destroyed the franchise for good.
Turns out a meteorite didn’t kill the dinosaurs. A sucktacular script, sub-par and wooden acting, and a reliance on CGI did it.
Hoping to tempt audiences into cinemas with nostalgia by bringing the original cast of Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern back, Jurassic World : Dominion failed to capitalise on what had come before it. Let’s face it. If you’ve seen one Jurassic World, you’ve seen them all.
If you want to see dinosaurs run amok, I suggest you return to Jurassic Park.
3: Moonfall
A mysterious force knocks the moon from its orbit and sends it hurtling on a collision course towards Earth.
Disaster movies are often full of action with strong characters that we’re rooting for. Moonfall has no redeemable qualities whatsoever. The destruction sequences are on par with some of the low budget shockers from the Sci-Fi channel, while the characters are cardboard cutouts of stereotypes. Audiences have no investment in them or their situation.
The biggest gripe is that blatantly obvious parallels to other disaster films. And I’m not talking about homages. I’m talking about copying scenes directly from other disaster movies.
For a film whose premise was about delivering mayhem and chaos, the Moonfall cast and crew clearly wished upon a faulty star.
2: Halloween Ends
The saga of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode comes to a spine-chilling climax in the final installment of this trilogy.
What. The. Fuck? No, seriously. What the fuck, Blumhouse?!
Halloween (2018) breathed new life into a troubled franchise and returned The Shape to the big screen with a vengeance. With Jamie Lee Curtis returning to the franchise for the first time since 2001, it dominated the box office, proving that you really can’t kill the Boogeyman.
Halloween Kills (2021) continued the story, and while the quality of the story dropped off, once again leaving Laurie Strode hospital bound, the copious amounts of kills that Michael Myers chalked up was the highest in the franchise to date.
Expectations for Halloween Ends were sky-high. And to say I was disappointed is the biggest understatement of the year.
Even as I type this, I can feel the rage building inside. Instead of wasting more breath as to why this lands so high on the Worst 5 list, I shall direct you to my spoiler-free review of this monumental failure. https://rushcutters.wixsite.com/quizarenalive/post/end-of-an-era-halloween-ends-review
1: Morbius
Biochemist Michael Morbius tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease, but he inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism instead.
Where do I begin? The story, the character development, the action… It all felt dated and messy, with very little redeeming qualities. The bland portrayals of the characters and lack of depth teamed with horrific writing made it feel like the creators were spoon-feeding the audience exposition rather than attempting to tell a narrative.
The reliance on CGI was overdone. Heavily distracting, it was too easy to be drawn out of the sub-par story. Clunky pacing and a basic formula left audiences bored and unimpressed.
I’ll give credit where credit is due; Jared Leto, Michael Keaton, and Matt Smith were somewhat engaging, though they are far better actors than what was on display.
Morbius, for me, was the most disappointing movie of 2022.
What makes your list for the best and worst of 2022? Sound off in the comments below.
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