Drew Favors’ Top 10 Films of 2022

It’s easy to say that 2022 was the greatest comeback year for films since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and even a few years before it. Films that have been in “development hell” for years, or passion projects that have slipped by various studio goalies, have emerged to create a nostalgic cinematic experience that I have yearned for but have not been able to experience in so long.

With the cinema landscape having been open to the public continuously over the past year, Hollywood, and some more silent heavy hitters, have emerged to bring beautiful films both internationally and domestically. Since the release of films this year has been so broad, I would like to start off with a few honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the Top 10 cut, but rightfully deserve recognition for their stellar achievements in filmmaking. Keep in mind, these mentions will be brief.

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SIFF 2022 Review: “Cha Cha Real Smooth” Brings All the Tears and Laughter to a Heartfelt Coming-of-Age Story

Even before the first frame of Cha Cha Real Smooth appears on screen, writer/director/star Cooper Raiff immediately identifies the time and tone of this film. The use of Lupe Fiasco’s “The Show Goes On” doesn’t just bring about memories of a young Andrew (played by Raiff) dancing at bar mitzvahs in the early 2010s. For many current 10-12-year-olds, this might would signal a very specific period in life where they are dealing with the early onset of puberty, romantic feelings, discovering their personality, etc. In other words, every complicated and contradictory feeling of “coming of age.”

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