This was a great year in cinema, with many fantastic films released throughout the year along with what I consider to be a masterwork! It would be nice if they drip-fed the Oscar bait films throughout the fall instead of backloading December (as they always do), but I did my best to catch up during January. I then wrote about half of this list before getting too busy to continue, so I am now posting it on the eve of the Oscars! Agh!
As always, if you would like a quick summary of my awards, a TL;DR is included at the end of the blog that ranks my favorite films of the year, along with what awards they received.
DISCLAIMER: I have not seen every film released during 2022, and I did not try to. I skip the movies that do not interest me unless they get significant praise from critics and friends. However, trying to guess who the Academy will award in each category is always a ton of fun, so I will continue doing those predictions. I also decided to put my honorable mentions at the END of the blog instead of the beginning this year in order to perhaps build some more intrigue for each category.
Oscar Predictions for Unincluded Categories
- Costume Design - Elvis
- Documentary Feature Film - A House Made of Splinters
- Documentary Short Film - Stranger at the Gate
- Film Editing - The Banshees of Inisherin
- Makeup and Hairstyling - The Whale
- Production Design - Elvis
- Short Film (Animated) - Ice Merchants
- Short Film (Live Action) - Night Ride
Here are the Best Movies of 2022 according to Robert!
Best Family Film: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
After seeing the first Puss in Boots movie in theaters back in 2011, I assumed that this sequel would be equally as bland and boring. I am so happy to be wrong, because this was one of the most fun and heartfelt animated films that I have seen since Spider-Verse. The recent trend of CG animation towards traditional 2D techniques and anime-style action lines has me so excited for the future of animated films, as it creates far more personality. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish recreates Puss as a feline going through an existential crisis while giving many of the characters their own great emotional moments, especially (surprisingly) Goldilocks. Her story easily elevates the entire film and made it simple to select this movie as the best family film of 2022. It is still in theaters if you have missed it up until now.
Honorable Mentions: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio; and Turning Red.
Best Screenplay: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
This might be the best screenplay that I have experienced since The Social Network. The dialogue is witty and absurd at times, but then emotional and soulful during other times. The story is insane and insanely creative while still hitting strong thematic beats that moved me to tears many, many times. The Daniels spent nearly a decade writing this film, and their dedication to creating a wonderful story shines through in one of the best films of the 21st century. EEAAO is available to stream on Paramount+ or you can rent it from whatever digital streaming retailer if you have not yet had a chance to experience it.
Honorable Mentions: Charlotte Wells (Aftersun); Jordan Peele (Nope); and Zach Cregger (Barbarian).
OSCAR PREDICTION: Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson, and Ian Stokell (All Quiet on the Western Front)
OSCAR PREDICTION: Writing (Original Screenplay) - Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Most Iconic Character: Daniel Craig (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery)
For the second year in a row, Daniel Craig finds himself in my awards due to his portrayal of a fantastic lead character in a franchise. Last year was for James Bond in No Time to Die, and this year is for Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion. Although the film as a whole was not as great as Knives Out, it was still a fun mystery with piercing social commentary. Watching Blanc struggle to understand how Among Us works while being chastised by the late Angela Lansbury was possibly the funniest scene to come out of the pandemic for me. As Netflix paid an arm and a leg for multiple Knives Out sequels from Craig and writer-director Rian Johnson, that is where you can stream it if you have not yet seen Glass Onion. I was lucky enough to see it in theaters during its one week run!
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Banderas (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish); and Zoë Kravitz (The Batman).
Best Cinematic Song: Naatu Naatu (RRR)
I typically have not cared for Indian films in the past, but RRR completely surprised me as the most delightful action film of the year! Both of the lead actors, Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr, carry the film with their charisma and bravado, giving a truly heartfelt bromance with amazing action setpieces. Of course, this also includes a fantastic dance sequence where these two Indian revolutionaries show up their British oppressors on the dance floor in an unbridled energy and passion. I am pulling HEAVILY for Naatu Naatu to win the song Oscar this year since RRR was not nominated for Best International Film (a true crime), but I fear that it may not win still. Regardless, this was my favorite cinematic song of the year, and you can catch RRR on Netflix if you have not had a chance to.
Honorable Mentions: Under Pressure (Aftersun); and Unchained Melody (Elvis).
OSCAR PREDICTION: Music (Original Song) - Lift Me Up (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
Best Ensemble Cast: Nope
Jordan Peele's latest film was an amazing homage to classic blockbuster thrillers such as Jaws, Jurassic Park, and others. But while his writing and directing were, of course, important to the film, he also had a tremendous cast to help tell his story. Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya are perfect as the outgoing, quirky sister and strong, silent brother who are dealing with some supernatural events on their ranch. Keith David and Brandon Perea both nail their supporting roles, while Michael Wincott steals the show in his scenes as a slightly insane cinematographer, giving off STRONG vibes of Quint from Jaws or Captain Ahab from Moby Dick. On top of this, you have a tremendous performance from Steven Yeun as a tourist trap owner, whose story actually carries significant importance to the film in unseen ways. Be sure to hop on Peacock to watch Nope, or otherwise rent it how you like, and enjoy the fantastic acting brought by this cast.
Honorable Mentions: Everything Everywhere All at Once; and All Quiet on the Western Front.
Best Animated Film: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
I absolutely love movies made with stop-motion animation, having grown up watching Wallace and Gromit. The Nightmare Before Christmas and Kubo and the Two Strings stand out to me as some of the best films in this genre, as well as most of Laika Studios' catalogue. Guillermo del Toro's interpretation of Pinocchio has that magical feeling that stop-motion brings to an animated film while also embroiling itself in many of del Toro's favorite themes in film. Children are in peril in this film and treated terribly by fascist adults, forcing them to grow up very quickly. By focusing on the background setting of fascist Italy, del Toro has added a lot of political and social commentary to an otherwise simple fable. However, he also has added a lot of the whimsical and bizarre dark fairytale style that has defined his career (such as in Pan's Labyrinth), making both this story and the visuals of it more interesting. Finally, there is a very lovely emotional center of this story that made me cry at multiple moments throughout the movie. I wish so very badly that I could have seen this great film in a theater, but it is still worth watching on Netflix if you can.
Honorable Mentions: Puss in Boot: The Last Wish; and Turning Red.
OSCAR PREDICTION: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Best Leading Actor: Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
There is a LOT that is being asked of Yeoh in EEAAO during her portrayal of a Chinese-American woman going through a midlife crisis. Not only is there a lot of relationships being explored with Evelyn (Yeoh), specifically with her daughter and husband, but she is also learning how to navigate and fight in a multiversal way against powerful enemies. Just like the film itself, Yeoh must have the flexibility to portray the huge, world-altering choices of a powerful protagonist while also showing her small connections to the people around her and how it affects all of their lives. There is a grand scope of parallel universes and the instability of their existence being perfectly intertwined with very close relationships and the instability of their existence as well. Such is the paradoxical nature of this magnificent film, with Michelle Yeoh leading the way as its fierce and strong lead.
Honorable Mentions: Paul Mescal (Aftersun); and Felix Kammerer (All Quiet on the Western Front).
OSCAR PREDICTION: Actor in a Leading Role - Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)
OSCAR PREDICTION: Actress in a Leading Role - Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Best Technical Effects: All Quiet on the Western Front
I am once again combining several categories to save some time this year, with Technical Effects being representative of both Visual Effects and Sound. I suppose that it is a little stereotypical to give both of these awards to a war film, but All Quiet on the Western Front has some amazing work in both of these fields. The deep rumble of tanks moving towards the trenches or the sound of a man slowly bleeding out in a crater will both haunt me. The suicidal charge across no man's land will always be a gut punch for me to watch, no matter how many WWI movies that I see. However, this film specifically makes every violent action that occurs as horrific as possible. There is no glory and there are no cool moments such as in Saving Private Ryan. We only see the absolute worst of war and its consequences, with a focus on deromanticizing military conflicts. It very much reminded me of what Unforgiven was for the Western genre. Using these technical effects to elevate the horrors of war made this an easy award to hand out. Like most of these films so far, you can watch it on Netflix if you think you will be able to handle its brutality.
Honorable Mentions: Nope; and Top Gun: Maverick.
OSCAR PREDICTION: Sound - Top Gun: Maverick
OSCAR PREDICTION: Visual Effects - Avatar: The Way of Water
Best Emotional Actor: Paul Mescal (Aftersun)
From the very opening scene, I could immediately tell that there was a storm brewing inside of Calum (Mescal) beneath his smiling surface. Depression is often shown in movies and TV shows as this very obvious sadness that the character carries around with them, when in reality it is almost always hidden behind a facade of contentment. Mescal exemplifies this reality perfectly as a very troubled Scottish father who is trying his best to have a fun vacation in Turkey with his daughter (her mother and him are amicably divorced). I empathised very heavily with Calum and his struggles since I am also a father about to turn 30 years old, plus I have a similarly-aged son as his daughter, Sophie. It takes a really special actor to be able to pull these kind of complex and layered emotions off, and that makes this an easy award to hand to Mescal. It seems like you can only rent this movie from digital retailers or Redbox, so do so if you missed this fantastic film.
Honorable Mentions: Stephanie Hsu and Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once).
Best Music: Michael Giacchino (The Batman)
I love Nirvana, so I was hooked into this film's score from the first trailer when Something in the Way was combined with a Batman score resembling Danny Elfman's work with Tim Burton. Giacchino has done tremendous work in creating a memorable new score for a new Batman story while still paying homage to his predecessors. I was pleasantly surprised with how good The Batman was overall, despite the story being a thinly veiled retelling of Se7en. As a quick aside, Zoë Kravitz was perfect as Selina Kyle, John Turturro was a scene-stealer as Carmine Falcone, and Jeffrey Wright paired perfectly with Robert Pattinson as a buddy cop duo in Jim Gordon and Bruce Wayne. I grew up loving Batman but, as an adult, found issues with a lot of his core beliefs. This movie was definitely the Batman made for people like me, presenting us a Batman and Bruce Wayne that has a much more nuanced take on crime and how to fight it. Definitely go enjoy this movie and its great music on HBO Max.
Honorable Mentions: M.M. Keeravani (RRR); and Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front).
OSCAR PREDICTION: Music (Original Score) - Carter Burwell (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Best Supporting Actor: Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
If the parallel universe theory and Michelle Yeoh's character are the brains and the strength of EEAAO, Quan is ABSOLUTELY its heart and soul. I have never loved a character in a film for their profound goodness more than Quan's portrayal of Waymond, a pushable Chinese-American husband, father, and laundromat owner. He has a heart-wrenching speech towards the end of the film that explicitly acknowledges all of the bad in the world and how he is not ignorant of it nor naive. But he chooses to see the good in the world and to continue to push everyone to love each other. It sounds corny as hell in text form, but packs a whallopping punch when you see it. Quan delivers his performance with such utter sincerity that I am so upset that we lost out on possibly decades of brilliant acting due to racism against him in Hollywood after his childhood performances in The Goonies and Temple of Doom. Here's to wishing him the best and a career revitalization that will give us many more wonderful performances to look forward to!
Honorable Mentions: Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once); and Albrecht Schuch (All Quiet on the Western Front).
OSCAR PREDICTION: Actress in a Supporting Role - Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin)
OSCAR PREDICTION: Actor in a Supporting Role - Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Best Scene: The Star Lasso Experience (Nope)
This was one of the most memorable scenes in a film from the past few years for me. As someone with claustrophobia, there is a certain point in this scene that absolutely terrified me and disturbed me in a way that no other film has done. Not only is it the most horrifying scene in a horror-thriller movie, but it also acts as a huge turning point narratively that changes both the genre and the audience's understanding of the film. Jordan Peele never seems to miss with his incredible films, and this one is no different. And to think that this all happens right after ANOTHER super memorable scene about Steven Yeun's character and a chimpanzee.
Honorable Mentions: Trapped in a crater with the enemy (All Quiet on the Western Front); and Gordy's Home (Nope).
Best Existential Actor: Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
The character of Joy Wang carries so many very difficult life questions with her. The existential dread of nothing mattering combined with the self-loathing of feeling like a disappointment create a complex antagonist for her mother, played by Yeoh, to square off against. Hsu brings Joy to the screen with all of the creepiness and absurdity of an all-powerful being with nothing to live for while also giving her an emotional core that many members of both the millennials and zoomers can relate to. The world sucks and life is not worth living, so why even try anymore? This question posed by Hsu's character requires all of the emotional intelligence of her father (Quan) and all of the traumatic experiences of her mother (Yeoh) in order to be answered in a truly satisfying way.
Honorable Mentions: Paul Mescal (Aftersun); and Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Best Cinematography: Gregory Oke (Aftersun)
Gregory Oke and writer-director Charlotte Wells have done their best to make every shot in Aftersun gorgeous, even during the quiet and otherwise inane scenes. Several shots have stuck with me for months after watching this film, especially during the first 5 minutes and the final 5 minutes of the film. Oke and Wells' ability to visually depict what is happening between a father and daughter, including what is happening in the future, has haunted me ever since the credits rolled.
Honorable Mentions: Larkin Seiple (Everything Everywhere All at Once); and James Friend (All Quiet on the Western Front).
OSCAR PREDICTION: James Friend (All Quiet on the Western Front)
Best Directors: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
I will admit to not being familiar with the work of "the Daniels" before seeing EEAAO. I had heard good things about their previous film, Swiss Army Man, but it seemed too absurd for me. However, for some reason, the absurdity that is embedded into this film by the Daniels pairs perfectly with their existential but heartfelt story. They have crafted a masterpiece of artwork that is also incredibly enjoyable, which is a pairing in film that I have not seen since Get Out back in 2017. Well done, Daniels, and I eagerly await their future works!
Honorable Mentions: Charlotte Wells (Aftersun); and Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front).
OSCAR PREDICTION: Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Best International Film: All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany)
"It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell."
General William Sherman spoke those words in regards to the Civil War that he participated in, and yet that quote is still said aloud these hundreds of years later as the world continues to ignore them. These words have been echoed time and time again through many anti-war films such as Full Metal Jacket, the original Best Picture-winning All Quiet on the Western Front, and Paths of Glory (of course there are many other examples; these are just the first three that I thought of). However, that message will NEVER become old, overstated, or overly utilized in cinema so long as horrible wars like the Ukrainian invasion and Yemeni civil war continue to happen around the world. War is devastating and terrible on not just its victims and civilians, but especially on its soldiers and footmen who are often forced into service against their will and severely traumatized for the rest of their lives.
All Quiet on the Western Front shoves these horrors directly into our faces again to remind us that we should never forget them nor ignore them. I have been appalled and disturbed by war films before, but this was the first one that made me emotional over the death of an unnamed character. When the protagonist, Paul, finds himself stuck in a crater with an enemy soldier that he just defeated in melee combat, we suffer with him as he sees the long, drawn-out consequences of his "victory". Moments like this fill this fantastic anti-war film that Germany has blessed the world with. Millions of men died for nothing but the rich's squabbles over land and oil. No life is worth a profit, and that includes the soldiers on both sides.
Honorable Mention: RRR (India).
OSCAR PREDICTION: All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany).
Best Film: Everything Everywhere All at Once
I think that this will be the least surprising entry in my entire list. Everything Everywhere All at Once is an absolute masterwork that I will rewatch and praise for decades to come. But I have already praised EEAAO up and down through six different categories now, so I will simply praise the aspects of the film that I have yet to mention.
Three different actors have won an award from me for their roles in this film, but every single member of the cast is outstanding. Jamie Lee Curtis is both hilarious and touching as a cranky middle-aged IRS agent, while James Hong is charming as a cantankerous grandfather and rebellion leader. Every single actor has multiple roles in the film, and each of these roles have small story arcs that culminate during the final "fight" scene. Both the music and visual effects in this film are amazing as well, matching the bright goofiness of one side of its themes as well as the bleak ennui of the other side. Also, for as much as I have mentioned the absurdity of the movie, I have barely even touched on how funny it is! I full-on belly-laughed multiple times throughout, and have repeatedly done so every time that I have rewatched it.
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But at the end of the day, it is not the technical execution, nor the existential dread, nor the silly absurdity of EEAAO that has enraptured me. It is the wholesome heart at the center of the film about our connections with each other. Despite how hurtful those interactions can be, the joyful experiences that we get to have with our loved ones are worth all the other sludge surrounding those moments.
I have cried every single time that Evelyn finally sees her husband, Waymond, for the light in her life that he is.
Waymond: So, even though you have broken my heart yet again, I wanted to say, in another life, I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you.
I have cried every single time that Gong Gong finally accepts his daughter, Evelyn, and his granddaughter, Joy, for who they are.
I have cried every single time that Evelyn hugs Joy and decides to just be there for her.
This is a beautiful film about imperfect people, and helps me to see the light in a world where I often find myself on the brink of complete nihilism. And so I have simply one more set of quotes to leave from the best film made in the last decade:
Evelyn: Maybe it's like you said. Maybe there is something out there -a new discovery- that'll make us feel like even smaller pieces of shit. Something that explains why you still went looking for me through all this noise. And why, no matter what, I still want to be here with you. I will always, ALWAYS, want to be here - with you.
Joy: So what? You're just going to ignore everything else? You could be anything, anywhere. Why not go somewhere where your - where your daughter is more than just...this? Here, all we'll get are a few specks of time where any of this actually makes any sense.
Then I will cherish these few specks of time.
Honorable Mentions: All Quiet on the Western Front; and Aftersun.
OSCAR PREDICTION: The Banshees of Inisherin
TL;DR
- Everything Everywhere All at Once (Best Film, Best Directors, Best Leading Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Existential Actor, Best Screenplay)
- All Quiet on the Western Front (Best International Film, Best Technical Effects)
- Aftersun (Best Emotional Actor, Best Cinematography)
- Nope (Best Ensemble Cast, Best Scene)
- Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (Best Animated Film)
- The Batman (Best Music)
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Best Family Film)
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Most Iconic Character)
- RRR (Best Cinematic Song)
Here are some explanations for films that are missing from my awards that some may be wondering about:
Good, not Great
Barbarian
The Black Phone
Elvis
The Fabelmans
Lightyear
Prey
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick
Triangle of Sadness
Turning Red
Bad or Overrated
The Banshees of Inisherin
The Northman
Skipped or Missed
Avatar: The Way of Water
Babylon
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Jackass Forever
Living
The Menu
Thor: Love and Thunder
The Whale
Women Talking
Thanks for reading my movie awards for this year! I always love writing them and I hope that you enjoyed reading them. I will see you next year for another celebration of both entertaining and artistic cinema!
