This year has been interesting for movies. Some guaranteed hits ended up missing, Horror had a fantastic year & Marvel and DC... Well, it’s been different for one and consistent for the other. As we wind down the year, I wanted to highlight some of the Best and Worst films of 2022. I'm sure you have your picks, and I would love to hear about them in the comments.
TOP GUN: Maverick A+
A sequel that no one was asking for by one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood. I have to admit the story is simple, nothing complicated. Maverick is supposed to teach the new generation of aviators how to fight in the sky all while dealing with ghosts of his past. The film bleeds Tom Cruise tropes from him riding a motorcycle to him flying jets with cameras on the planes. Now to be honest there is a part in the movie that beats from beat Star Wars (if you know you know) and that’s fine. This movie did so well that I think they just put it back in theaters for a limited run. If you have a massive theater setup this film is built for it.
Thor Love & Thunder C-
Taika Waititi is a great comedic filmmaker but enough is enough. Ragnarök was a breath of fresh air that the series did need. Love and Thunder sucked most of the air right back out of it. It learned so far about trying to be a comedy. When it wasn’t failing to tell a bad joke, it was telling a bad story. Christain Bale was wasted as Gorr the God Butcher. A fantastic character and an amazing actor caught up in this film. Even some of the CGI is bad. Chris Helmsworth has been noted saying there needs to be a tonal shift if they want him to continue playing Thor and I agree.
Everything, Everywhere, All at once grade A+
This movie was everything Dr. Strange and the multiverse of madness were supposed to be. Action-packed, funny, great & fight scenes. Michelle Yeoh was in true form. She is part of the action film elite, and this is a reminder. of that. Now I compare this to the Multiverse of madness because it shares a lot of the same elements but somehow it gets the job done on a low budget in comparison to the Marvel Machine. It’s quite moving and one of the best films of the year. Sometimes more is less. In a just world, this would be a contender in award season.
Jeepers Creepers Reboot Grade F
I've seen some horror reboots fail, but this one hurt to watch. Written by a guy who sucks at horror and directed by the dude who did those Nazis on the moon movies came this slop. The original creator of the IP turned out to be a real-life monster (google that on your own). The decision to bring it back wasn't a bad idea but with these guys behind the camera & the casting choices being bad, I've seen better acting in YouTube horror shorts. I understand that most horror movies have a low budget but not Walmart's low. This was doomed from the start maybe in a few years someone will try again. Hopefully by someone that likes the material.
Bullet Train: B+
Bullet Train reminds me of Smoking Aces. It feels like a Tarantino Movie but it's not. The story is action-packed and funny. It finds a great balance. Also, this cast, with phenomenal Brad Pitt, has only gotten cooler with age. Bad Bunny and Zazie Beetz own their scenes. If I go into any more detail, I might give away stuff, so I suggest you check out this movie. It's popcorn Fodder but damn good fodder.
Morbius Grade F
This movie was already dead before it even came out. Sony thought because those half-ass Venom movies were good that they could just do another character. Also making a Spiderman Universe without spiderman is just DUMB and this movie proves it. Also, Jared Leto needs to step back from movies for a while because his “method” has become more of a burden than any other actor in the game. If it wasn't for House of the Dragon, this year I was almost ready to call Matt Smith’s career a fall from grace because his big screen outings have been tragic. This movie was made by the same folks behind Gods of Egypt the movie where Scottish actor Gerald Butler played an Egyptian God. Sounds dumb right? Well……. You get what you pay for. If you hate this lookout for their Kraven The Hunter movie (shudders in disgust)
The Batman: Grade B
After several rewrites and recasts, The Batman came out. This is the first time it felt like a Batman movie in a while. He was investigating a series of crimes in real-time, and the audience was riding shotgun. Pattinson has already proven his acting chops if you watched any of his non-Twilight work. playing this out like a noire was the right move but when the action came it hit like thunder across the screen. The Riddler was disturbing and was played by Paul Dano like the Zodiac killer of the digital age. Colin Farrell was unrecognizable as the Penguin. The film is longer than it should be hence the B grade. But definitely a good watch.
Uncharted C-
The level of miscasting here has me out of it. I love Tom Holland, not just as spiderman. He has some really good roles to stretch his acting chops. But he looks way too young to play Nathan Drake. Now if you told me this movie was gonna be a prequel to the adventures from the games you would have had me sold. But from that first trailer, you're diving straight into the game. The trailer had him bartending and I'm like “okay you only have to be 18 to do that”. But seriously, do you know what the video game version of the character looks like?
The rest of the casting is off, and the film is too inconsistent for me to try and enjoy. I'm sure there are some fans out there just not here with me.
Prey Grade A
I already wrote a full review of this film so I will be brief. The Predator franchise has been a shadow of its former self. Prey takes several steps and tells back and tells an intimate story of survival. It also features an indigenous cast, a lot of them first-timers. There was a perfect blend of visual and practical effects
I’m sure I forgot your favorite, but hey what the comment section is for if not that? See you next year.